Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that President Donald Trump’s diesel agreement with Russia could pave the way for broader economic deals and further sanctions relief, as one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top envoys publicly pushes for expanded cooperation between Moscow and Washington. Because gas deals will follow. And I am absolutely certain of this.
After gas, they will lift sanctions on other things as well,” Zelensky told reporters in Brussels on Friday. He said his concerns extended beyond energy. Dmitriev also said Friday that discussions were already underway over how sanctions could be lifted.
The comments point to the same possible next step from starkly different perspectives: Moscow sees the diesel deal as a model for wider economic ties, while Kyiv warns it could lead to a broader easing of economic pressure on Russia. Newsweek has contacted the White House, U.S. Treasury Department, Russian Embassy in Washington and Ukrainian Embassy in Washington for comment.
Trump announced the diesel agreement on October 9 following what he described as a “highly successful discussion” with Putin. The arrangement is intended to increase Russian diesel supplies to U.S. and global markets in an effort to reduce fuel prices. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control subsequently issued General License 135, authorizing certain transactions involving Russian-origin diesel.
Trump has defended the agreement amid criticism from members of both parties, arguing that increasing global diesel supplies could lower prices. It’s a deal for the rest of the world.” He added: “Anything that could help our farmers, our ranchers, I like.” The White House previously told Newsweek that Trump had negotiated the arrangement to “supply the global market with massive amounts of diesel and bring prices down,” saying lowering costs for farmers, truckers and families remained a priority. Zelensky has argued that easing restrictions on Russian diesel would instead provide Moscow with additional revenue for its war.
Speaking at a European Union summit in Brussels on Friday, he said cash would begin flowing back to Russia through the diesel agreement and that it would put more money “straight into Putin’s pocket to fund this war.” His latest comments went further by arguing that the diesel agreement could be followed by additional economic arrangements and sanctions relief. After gas, they will lift sanctions on other things as well.” Dmitriev’s comments do not establish that the Trump administration plans the specific steps Zelensky predicted. But the Russian official has made clear that Moscow sees the diesel arrangement as a possible model for broader U.S.-Russia economic cooperation.
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