US President Donald Trump's envoys have informed Ukrainian officials that a deal permitting Russian diesel exports is designed to draw Moscow back to the negotiating table following the collapse of earlier peace initiatives, according to Reuters.
During a closed-door meeting in Miami, Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner told Ukrainian delegates that Russian President Vladimir Putin was not currently prepared to negotiate an end to the four-and-a-half-year war but suggested the new fuel arrangement could help restart trilateral talks.
A third source noted that Washington framed the deal as a way to "soften" Moscow's position by signalling Trump's openness to reciprocal arrangements.
Under the agreement, Russia will supply more than 2.25 million barrels of diesel to US and global markets.
The pact has drawn sharp criticism from US lawmakers.
Trump defended the measure on Monday as "the right choice for the American people", arguing it will lower domestic energy costs ahead of congressional midterm elections.
Refinery strikes
During the meeting, Kushner reiterated administration requests for Ukraine to cease strikes on Russian oil refineries, arguing they drive up global fuel prices.
"The idea was that the US could go back to Russia and say 'See, the Ukrainians stopped striking and we gave you this deal. Now it’s your turn to do something,'" a source familiar with the talks told Reuters.
US officials stressed past military and intelligence assistance, though they did not threaten to halt aid if strikes continued.
Ukrainian officials remained sceptical, viewing commercial concessions as appeasement that fails to shift Moscow's core demand for remaining territory in the Donbas.
Tensions escalated further after Trump said on Sunday that an energy ceasefire was in place—an announcement Kiev said it had not agreed to beforehand, whilst Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure continued.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the diesel deal as a "gift to Putin", prompting Trump to respond that Ukraine should "get a new president".
Trump defends pact
Trump defended his diesel supply agreement with Russia, dismissing bipartisan backlash from Capitol Hill lawmakers who warn the pact breaches federal law prohibiting Russian energy imports during Moscow's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The White House insisted that lifting sanctions to permit Russian fuel exports would curb soaring domestic energy prices, which have surged more than 60 percent since the outbreak of hostilities involving Iran seven months ago.
Trump defended the temporary sanctions waiver as necessary to support domestic agriculture, writing on social media: "I made the right choice for the American People — ALWAYS, AMERICA FIRST!" Departing for Ohio, Trump brushed aside criticism from his own party: "Well, I think these are Republicans that can't really be serious.
We can do a restriction on oil, but the rest of the world would be greatly, greatly affected if we do that."
