Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused the United States of directly enabling Russian military aggression through a newly announced fuel agreement with Moscow. Speaking on Saturday, Zelenskyy stated that revenue generated from the sale of Russian diesel to the US would be used to intensify the war against Ukraine.
The comments followed a barrage of Russian attacks on the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia early Saturday morning. Ukrainian officials confirmed that the strikes, which involved glide bombs dropped on residential buildings, killed 15 people, including three children. Zelenskyy described the timing as a direct response from Moscow to the deal.
Trump diesel deal sparks diplomatic fallout
The agreement was announced by US President Donald Trump on Friday. Trump stated the purchase was necessary to lower diesel prices for American consumers ahead of the November midterm elections. The deal appeared to catch Kyiv off guard, as Ukrainian negotiators were in Miami at the time for peace talks.
Zelenskyy characterized the agreement as a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He argued that any easing of sanctions on Russian energy exports would allow Moscow to “kill more” and sustain its war effort for a longer period. The Ukrainian president emphasized that Russia interprets reduced pressure as an invitation to continue fighting.
Hours after the announcement, large-scale power outages were reported in Kyiv. The country’s largest private energy provider confirmed the disruptions, adding to the growing list of infrastructure damage caused by the ongoing conflict.
European leaders reject easing of pressure
The fuel deal has disrupted four years of Western financial pressure on Moscow. European leaders have moved quickly to distance themselves from the US policy shift. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, stated that the deal provides Moscow with additional revenues to wage war.
Kallas emphasized that Europe would not ease pressure on Russia. She announced that EU foreign ministers plan to approve the largest set of sanctions listings targeting Russia’s war machine since the conflict began. The planned measures include adding 1,600 new individuals and entities to the EU’s sanctions blacklist.
Germany and Sweden also expressed strong opposition to the US agreement. German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said Berlin remains committed to existing sanctions and is working with European partners on further measures. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed regret over the deal, noting that energy revenues are a vital source of funding for Russia’s aggression.
In contrast to the frustration in Kyiv and European capitals, the Kremlin described the call between Trump and Putin as substantive and friendly. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov noted that the two leaders hung up the phone simultaneously, indicating a cordial exchange.
Zelenskyy has previously warned that Putin is playing games with Trump. He stated that Ukraine is ready to take de-escalatory steps but only if Russia does the same. In the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, Ukrainian attacks over the past 24 hours killed four civilians and wounded five, according to the Russian-installed governor, Leonid Pasechnik.
Source: The Guardian
