Brief
Trump says US will import 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel, criticises EU
Trump announced a US‑Russia diesel deal, claiming it will ease energy costs while EU officials denounced the move as hypocritical.
By Felo News Desk · Published
President Donald Trump announced on Friday a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin that will see the United States import 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel as global energy prices rise, according to the Independent.
Trump posted on Truth Social that the European Union has paid Russia $250 billion for energy and accused the "Fake News Media" of ignoring the story. He added, "I made the right choice for the American People — Always, America First!"
EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas responded, reminding Washington that "Russia has started this war. We should not forget this." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he did not believe the deliveries would affect the market and suggested other motives behind the decision.
Zelensky also said Kyiv had not been informed in advance, stating, "No, we did not know about that. We’ve learned that from the media as well." He urged the United States to consider a diesel arrangement with Ukraine instead.
Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee called the reports "concerning," while Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the agreement was "not the European way" and would not help oil prices or transatlantic unity.
According to a tracker by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, the EU has paid about €238.6 billion for Russian fossil fuels since February 2022, though imports have fallen sharply since 2023.
Key facts
- Trump announced a deal for the US to import 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel immediately. (independent.co.uk)
- Kaja Kallas warned that Russia started the war and urged Washington not to forget. (independent.co.uk)
- Zelensky said Kyiv was not informed about the deal and questioned its impact. (independent.co.uk)
- EU has paid roughly €238.6 billion for Russian fossil fuels since Feb 2022, per CREA data. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Trump accuses Europe of hypocrisy after diesel deal with Russia”
