Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to X on Friday to express criticism of Donald Trump’s recent diesel agreement with Vladimir Putin.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, revealed that he had a “highly successful discussion” with Putin, claiming that Russia would “immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace.” He also mentioned plans for an additional 500,000 tons in November and, somewhat ambitiously, “1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter” and 3,000,000 tons “within a short period of time.”
In his post, Trump stated, “Between our TOTAL CONTROL of the Strait of Hormuz, and this great announcement on Russian Energy,” diesel prices would be dropping significantly for Americans and globally.
Later, outside the White House, Trump praised the agreement, thanking Putin for his cooperation. He said, “By the way, I think you heard about the oil deal with Russia… that is a big deal… I want to thank President Putin, to be honest with you.”
A reporter mentioned that Zelenskyy had labeled Trump as “weak” for this deal, to which Trump responded with a mild “Okay” after inquiring who had made that claim.
Recently, diesel prices surged to a record high of $6.53 per gallon, a sharp increase from last year’s $3.69.
Peace never comes through weakness. Today, representatives of the U.S. Congress were in Kyiv – a bipartisan delegation – and I am grateful to them for visiting Ukraine at such a difficult time. They asked: what is needed to end the war? The answer must be strong. There must be sanctions under the Lindsey Graham bill, there must be support for Ukraine in protecting lives, and there must be pressure on Russia for its war. And today, there was a conversation between the leaders of America and Russia. A conversation that leads to something different. Recently, there was a European decision to lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs. Since then, Russian strikes and the torment of people have only increased. This past week alone, there was a brutal Russian missile strike on a residential building in Pryluky, aerial bombs were dropped on Kramatorsk – on ordinary city buses – and there have been constant attacks on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure and on the life-sustaining infrastructure in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and our other cities. Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds wounded. The Russians are compensating for their inability to achieve their objectives on the battlefield with this kind of terror. This year, Russia is weaker on the battlefield than at any other point in the war. That is why Putin is relying on terror. That is why he is relying on attempts to strike backroom deals to secure some form of pressure relief for Russia, in order to buy more time and more opportunities for war. Any easing of sanctions against Russia without a clear and lasting de-escalation agreement with Russia is an obvious weakness. It plays into Russia’s hands – allowing it to kill more, wage war for longer, have even less respect for America, and inflict even greater losses and damage on the world. Ukraine is ready to take symmetrical de-escalatory steps, and the American team knows our position. Our strikes on Russian oil refineries and other oil facilities are a response to Russia’s years-long campaign of terror against Ukraine’s energy sector. Ukraine will not set Russian oil refineries on fire if Russia does not destroy our energy infrastructure. This is the kind of agreement we are proposing to America, and we believe the United States has enough power to achieve such a compromise. Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world. Russia will “repay” the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged. What is needed is real de-escalation with Russia on a reciprocal basis. We count on America’s fair support for our defense of life, for our defense of people in Ukraine – and on the United States having a correspondingly strong conversation with Russia. A strong one, not a weak one.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 9, 2026
Zelenskyy continued to admonish the deal in his X post, stressing that any easing of sanctions on Russia lacking a de-escalation agreement signifies “an obvious weakness.”
He stated, “Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world,” adding that Russia would respond to receiving diesel with further acts of aggression. Allowing Russia to sell oil, he argued, is merely extending the war instead of resolving it.
Zelenskyy concluded by emphasizing the need for strong support from the United States in defending lives in Ukraine and urged Trump to engage in a “strong conversation” with Russia.
The relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy has been notably strained since their encounter soon after Trump began his second term, during which Trump accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War Three.”
