A conversation on Friday between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump was "very substantive and friendly", and neither leader wanted to be the first to end the call, Russian news agency Interfax quoted a Kremlin aide as saying.
During the call, the presidents agreed that Russia would supply diesel to the US and global markets to lower fuel prices, prompting an unexpected temporary easing of US sanctions on Russian fuel that has dismayed Ukraine.
The Kremlin said most of the conversation focused on efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine. Putin also downplayed the likelihood of three-way peace talks resuming soon.
Interfax cited Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov on Saturday as saying the conversation lasted an hour and a half.
"Neither wanted to be the first to hang up," he said. "They hung up simultaneously, literally at the same time."
Zelenskyy
Kiev is relying on US support in negotiations to end the war.
After news of the call broke, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the diesel deal in unusually blunt terms, calling it a "weak decision" and "an investment in a war that must be ended."
The West imposed sanctions, including restrictions on Russian energy imports, after the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022.
On Friday, negotiators from the US, Ukraine and European countries held talks in Miami aimed at reaching agreement on a unified peace proposal in the coming weeks that could be presented to Russia, according to a person familiar with the discussions.
UK
The UK government vowed to maintain pressure on Russia following a recently announced diesel deal.
"The UK’s position could not be clearer. We will continue working closely with international partners to ensure Ukraine has the military and financial support it needs to defend itself. We will also maintain pressure on Russia," a UK government spokesperson said in a written statement.
The spokesperson noted that London would maintain pressure through the "toughest sanctions regime" it has ever imposed by increasing the cost of "Putin’s aggression" and supporting efforts to secure peace.
Sweden
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson voiced regret.
"We regret the US agreement with Russia to supply diesel, as energy revenues are a vital source of funding Russia’s war of aggression," Kristersson wrote on X.
He reiterated Sweden's ongoing position to stand with Ukraine "for as long as it takes," and called for more pressure to be put on Russia and more support to be provided to Ukraine.
Germany
Germany said it would continue to push for new EU sanctions against Russia despite Moscow's agreement with Washington to release diesel to ease a fuel crunch.
"The German government sticks to its measures sanctioning Russia and is working jointly with its European partners on new sanctions," government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said in a statement.
