Trump's Russian Diesel U-turn Pressures Ukraine — SkimNews
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- Donald Trump permitted Russian diesel imports into the US through a sanctions waiver running until April 2027, just three weeks after signing a law authorizing up to 100% tariffs on top purchasers of Russian energy.
- Trump declared on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to cease attacking each other's energy infrastructure, a claim neither side has confirmed; Russia struck at least six Ukrainian energy targets within hours of the announcement.
- Russian diesel volumes are unlikely to meaningfully ease US prices: Russia can release about 2 million barrels in October, against US daily diesel consumption of roughly 3.6 million barrels.
- Trump publicly urged Kyiv to 'get a new president' who could cut a deal with Vladimir Putin; Zelenskyy offered elections conditional on a 60-day ceasefire, which Russia promptly refused.
- US officials have threatened to limit or cut intelligence sharing with Ukraine and suspend an arrangement letting European countries buy US weapons for Kyiv if Ukraine does not stop strikes on Russian refineries, Putin's only acknowledged 1% GDP loss from the war.
- Russia now holds roughly 80% of Ukraine's coastline and is targeting export ships out of Odessa and nearby ports, imperilling Ukraine's long-term economic viability and deepening its dependence on foreign aid.
Why it matters: Trump has unilaterally eased pressure on Russia without securing negotiation progress, while giving Kyiv an explicit choice: stop the refinery strikes that have cost Moscow an admitted 1% of GDP, or lose US intelligence sharing and weapons-purchase access. With Ukraine heading into another winter facing manpower shortages, logistics strain, and attacks on its rail and energy infrastructure, Kyiv enters 2027 in its weakest position since the early days of the full-scale invasion on the current trajectory.
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