Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Trump’s Russia diesel deal in an October 14 interview in London, saying Washington risked choosing the wrong side in the war. His comments followed President Donald Trump’s agreement with Vladimir Putin to ease restrictions on Russian fuel sales in an effort to lower energy prices.
Speaking to Piers Morgan Uncensored, Zelenskyy described the shift as painful and said Ukraine’s survival mattered more than business arrangements. His criticism came as senators from both American political parties urged Trump to reverse the deal.
The dispute has since widened. On October 17, Zelenskyy criticized a separate waiver of Russia-related sanctions and tariffs, while Trump maintained that the decision served American national interests.
What Zelenskyy said about history
Zelenskyy told Morgan he did not object to Trump acting as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia, but argued that mediation required remaining between the two sides rather than favoring Moscow.
“This is not the right side of history,” he said, according to reporting by Ukrainska Pravda. The remark expressed his judgment about Washington’s direction, rather than an independently measurable finding.
The show’s official episode listing identifies the interview as taking place in Morgan’s London studios and describes Zelenskyy’s objections to the diesel agreement and proposed energy ceasefire. Reuters separately reported his disappointment and concern about losing a strong partner.
What the Russia diesel deal authorizes
Trump announced the agreement on October 9. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License 135 that day, permitting specified transactions involving diesel originating in Russia.
The authorization covers sales, delivery, offloading and imports, including imports into the United States, that would otherwise be prohibited under two Russia-related sanctions regulations. It runs through 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on April 7, 2027.
The license retains an exclusion for debits to certain Russian government accounts held at American financial institutions. It is a defined exemption, rather than a blanket cancellation of all sanctions against Russia.
The document establishes what transactions are authorized. It does not show how much diesel has been delivered, the revenue actually received or the savings realized by American consumers.
Twelve senators seek a reversal
In an October 13 letter, twelve senators, evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, urged Trump to rescind the Russia diesel deal.
The Republicans were Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, Alan Armstrong, Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn. The Democrats were Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal, Dick Durbin, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jack Reed and Chris Coons.
The senators acknowledged the need to reduce energy costs but argued that the agreement would provide little price relief while giving Russia additional resources for its war. Those are the lawmakers’ assessments of its likely effects.
They urged Trump to apply economic pressure under sanctions legislation enacted in September. Hourly Times’ earlier coverage of the diesel agreement explains the administration’s fuel-cost argument and initial congressional opposition.
Intelligence concerns accompany the dispute
Ukraine also reported that partners had not warned it about a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv on October 12. That complaint added to concerns about the reliability of American support.
Trump denied on October 13 that the United States had stopped sharing intelligence. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also said intelligence was continuing to arrive. A missing warning about one attack does not establish that all intelligence cooperation ended.
Further sanctions relief draws another objection
Trump’s October 16 order waived key sanctions and tariffs that were approaching implementation under the recently enacted legislation. Zelenskyy said the decision would encourage Russia to continue its attacks. The administration cited American national interests.
Despite the Russia diesel deal dispute, diplomatic contacts continued. Zelenskyy said on October 17 that Ukrainian negotiators had spoken with American officials the previous day.
He discussed a possible meeting involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States around December’s G20 summit in Miami, or elsewhere. Washington and Moscow had not confirmed the meeting, he said. Its date and location remain unsettled.
