Trump envoys told Ukraine Russian diesel deal could revive peace talks, sources say
US envoys told Ukrainian officials a Russian diesel agreement could help restart negotiations, while lawmakers warned it would fund Moscow’s war without securing concessions.
Miami, United States. Envoys for President Donald Trump told Ukrainian officials on Friday that an agreement permitting Russian diesel exports was intended to help bring Moscow back into negotiations, three sources with knowledge of the meeting told Reuters. Earlier attempts to establish sustained talks on ending the war had failed.
US presents deal as diplomatic opening
Two sources, speaking anonymously, said Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner told the Ukrainian delegation in Miami that Russian President Vladimir Putin remained unwilling to negotiate an end to the war he had waged in Ukraine for 4 1/2 years. They said the envoys presented the agreement unveiled last week as a possible route to resuming three-way negotiations.
According to the third source, the US side said the arrangement could make Moscow’s stance less rigid, partly by demonstrating Trump’s willingness to engage with Russia.
A person with ties to the Kremlin also described the diesel agreement as a means of drawing Russia back into negotiations.
One source familiar with Friday’s meeting said the agreement formed only one element of broader discussions about returning Russia and Ukraine to negotiations and ending the conflict. Security guarantees for Ukraine were also discussed, the source said, without providing details.
Diesel exports draw criticism
The agreement provides for Russian diesel shipments exceeding 2.25 million barrels to markets in the US and elsewhere. Some US lawmakers have criticised it, arguing that Moscow would gain money to continue the war while Putin would not be required to offer concessions toward ending it.
Trump defended the arrangement publicly on Monday, saying it was the correct decision for Americans. He has argued that it will reduce US energy costs, which have become a political problem for his Republican Party before crucial midterm elections that will decide who controls Congress.
Refinery attacks and ceasefire announcement
The two sources said Kushner also told Ukrainian officials that Trump wanted Kyiv to halt attacks on Russian refineries, repeating a request the administration had made on several occasions.
One source said the proposed approach would allow Washington to tell Moscow that Ukraine had stopped those strikes and that the US had granted the diesel agreement, leaving Russia to take a reciprocal step.
Trump has blamed Ukrainian attacks for pushing up fuel prices worldwide. Most experts, however, identify the Iran war as the principal cause of elevated costs.
On Sunday, several days after announcing the diesel arrangement, Trump declared an energy ceasefire involving Russia and Ukraine. Neither side has confirmed it, and Russian forces attacked Ukrainian energy facilities on Monday.
Russia’s embassy in Washington and Ukraine’s presidential office in Kyiv did not immediately answer requests for comment.
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