Trump announces deal for Russian diesel as Zelensky calls it a gift to Putin

Trump announces deal for Russian diesel as Zelensky calls it a gift to Putin

Zelensky sharply criticized the move, calling it an 'investment in war that must be ended, not prolonged'.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met in Alaska last year.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned Trump's announcement of a deal to import Russian diesel into the US.

Zelensky called it a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin that amounts to 'an investment in war that must be ended, not prolonged', a position quickly backed by Ukraine's European allies.

Trump said Putin had agreed to release 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately 'to the American and global marketplace' followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and another million after that.

It is understood the US Treasury is suspending sanctions on Russian diesel exports until 7 April as part of the deal, but other assets like those in American banks are still frozen.

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that a further three million tonnes of Russian diesel would be delivered 'within a short period', dependent on the condition of its refineries, which have been attacked by Ukraine.

Putin later said Russia, which introduced a ban on diesel exports earlier this year, was willing to supply both the US and global markets with oil and petroleum products, but his statement did not specify amounts.

Zelensky said Russia would repay the diesel with 'further terror'.