Zelenskyy Calls Trump's Russian Diesel Deal 'An Investment in a War That Must Be Ended' Amid US Objections

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned Donald Trump's announced arrangement for Russia to supply diesel to the United States and global markets, calling it a gift to Vladimir Putin and 'an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged.'

The criticism came after the US president said on Friday that Russia would immediately release more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel 'to the American and global marketplace.'

Trump said a further 500,000 tonnes would follow in November, with one million tonnes 'immediately thereafter.'

He added that another three million tonnes could be delivered 'within a short period,' depending on the condition of Russian refineries, which Ukraine has attacked during the war. The delivery schedule has not been independently confirmed.

Why Trump Wants Russian Diesel

Trump framed the proposed arrangement as a response to high fuel prices affecting American households and businesses. 'Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority,' he wrote on Truth Social.

The political pressure is real. AAA recorded a US national average diesel price of $6.28 (£4.75) a US gallon on 9 October, down from its record high of $6.53 (£4.93) on 22 September.

Farming states, which rely on diesel for machinery and transporting produce, have been particularly exposed to the price rises.

Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak discussed the proposed volumes with Tass, Russia's state news agency.

He said Russia was ready to deliver 300,000 tonnes this month, potentially increasing supplies to 500,000 tonnes in November and one million tonnes in December, he also suggested future supplies could reach three million tonnes a month. Those comments describe potential supply, not a confirmed delivery commitment.

The proposed initial shipment would equal about 2.25 million barrels of fuel, according to Reuters. That remains only a fraction of daily US demand, and analysts have questioned whether the proposed supplies would significantly or sustainably reduce US diesel prices, given the scale of consumption and uncertainty over deliveries.

Zelenskyy's Warning Over Putin

Zelenskyy's objection was blunt. He argued that allowing Russian petroleum sales would hand Moscow revenue while its forces continue to attack Ukraine.

'Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged,' he said, according to Reuters.

The Trump administration has temporarily eased US sanctions on Russian fuel to allow the reported arrangement to proceed. Reuters reported that the relief was due to run until 7 April 2026, but the precise legal basis, scope and duration of the measure should be confirmed against the relevant US Treasury Department announcement or authorisation.

The full terms of the reported arrangement have not been independently verified. The status of other Russian assets should be assessed separately against the relevant US sanctions measures.

Bipartisan Backlash

The political backlash has been bipartisan. Seven senators, four Republicans and three Democrats, said on Sunday that Trump's decision to allow Russian diesel imports ran directly counter to a 2022 law banning Russian energy imports, and urged the administration to reverse course.

'The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians,' the lawmakers said. They argued that Congress had 'explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022' to prevent American money financing Putin's war.

The statement was signed by Republicans Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis and John Curtis, alongside Democrats Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal and Ron Wyden.

Representative Thomas Massie, who has clashed with Trump before, said the US should lift sanctions on all petroleum products. He made the comments in support of Trump's decision, according to the Washington Examiner.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that the agreement would operate through existing legal channels and insisted that lawmakers claiming otherwise were wrong. His position contrasts with the senators' legal argument, which has not been resolved by a court or other authoritative legal determination.

An Energy Ceasefire, but Little Detail

The diesel dispute has become entangled with a separate claim about the battlefield. On Sunday, Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had reached an 'energy ceasefire,' effective immediately, though he provided no details of its terms.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine had learnt of the proposed ceasefire through media reports and would support a mutual halt to attacks on energy infrastructure if Russia agreed to the same terms.

Moscow has not formally confirmed that it agreed to a ceasefire. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that contacts over a possible truce were continuing, while Zelenskyy reported continued Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities after Trump's announcement. The terms and enforcement of any truce therefore remain unclear.

The arrangement has also drawn criticism from some of Ukraine's international partners. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has criticised the diesel plan, while UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the US and other allies of Ukraine should focus on increasing pressure on Russia to end the war.