Friday's diesel deal between Trump and Putin wasn't only about diesel. It was also about Kyiv.
Hours after Zelensky accused Washington of using Ukraine's negotiators as a "smokescreen" for a backroom deal with Moscow, Axios reported that Trump decided to let Russia sell diesel after Zelensky ignored half a dozen US requests to stop attacking Russian oil refineries. The alleged source was a US official with direct knowledge, who did not hold back:
"Zelensky is misreading the room. By continuing to hit refineries, he is eroding the good will that he has built with Trump over the last six months."
In other words, the sanctions waiver was as much a message to Kyiv as a gift to Moscow. So how did we get to this latest geopolitical twist, what is Trump actually got for lifting sanctions (spoiler: less than nine days of fuel), and why is the deal is on a collision course with the one Ukrainian policy Kyiv says it won't give up. Let's dig in.
"Half A Dozen" Requests
The backstory is familiar to regular readers. One month ago, Trump - freaking out about soaring diesel prices - told reporters that Zelensky "has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia," and a day later he announced a truce that never really happened:
Trump says "Ukraine has agreed not to hit Russian Energy targets. Russia has agreed to do, likewise! The World’s Diese
