Ekaterina Girnyk11:12, 11.10.26
Putin exploits Trump’s weakness for corruption.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced a “massive” deal to purchase diesel fuel from Russia . According to The Atlantic , this deal will bring virtually no benefits to ordinary Americans and will not lead to lower diesel prices. However, it is fraught with enormous consequences for other parties.
“For Vladimir Putin, this deal is a potential salvation. For war-ravaged Ukraine, it’s Trump’s most outrageous and heartless betrayal to date. For Trump’s inner circle, the deal promises opportunities for multi-billion-dollar corruption,” the publication notes.
According to The Atlantic, the American president’s approval ratings are plummeting, and he needs a last-minute campaign stunt. Therefore, he sees attacks on Russian energy infrastructure as a threat to Republican hopes in the midterm elections, the article states.
Why the diesel agreement with Russia makes no sense
The United States is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of diesel fuel. American refineries produce approximately 5.2 million barrels of diesel fuel per day. Diesel consumption in the United States is approximately 3.7 million barrels per day.
Trump’s deal with Russia covers 2.25 million barrels—the equivalent of about 16 hours of US consumption, 10 hours of US production, or 14 days of imports from Canada.
The Kremlin is luring Trump’s inner circle with lucrative deals.
Last week, for example, The New York Times reported on a possible multibillion-dollar oil deal in exchange for assets belonging to the Russian company Lukoil – a deal that would directly benefit one of Trump’s donors and two Middle Eastern groups with business ties to Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, or the family of US Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
However, there’s a catch to these tempting Russian schemes: Russian energy assets are of little value if they’re regularly destroyed by Ukrainian drones, the publication notes:
“This makes clear the hidden quid pro quo behind these sweetheart deals offered to Trump’s family and friends: If you get Ukraine to capitulate, we’ll give you untold riches.”
As The Atlantic points out, Putin is trying to exploit his most strategic asset – Trump’s weakness for corruption – in his war against Ukraine.
“The 2.25 million barrels of diesel fuel Putin offered Trump will have no real impact on global energy markets or global diesel prices. But accepting this fuel will lead to the collapse of the US sanctions regime against Russia and will make Trump an ally of Putin in countering Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities,” the article states.
Moreover, if Putin succeeds in persuading Trump to deny Ukraine access to American intelligence, he will seriously damage its military capability.
Trump’s Diesel Deal: Reaction in the US
Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States during Trump’s first term, declared the agreement must be immediately rescinded. He said it was a betrayal of the legacy of Senator Lindsey Graham , who fought until his last breath for tougher sanctions against Russia.
It has also become known that American lawmakers are preparing a new bipartisan bill aimed at banning any purchases of Russian oil .
(C)UNIAN 2026
If the US does stop sharing intelligence with Ukraine, it won’t stop oil refineries from burning, or data centres.
SEE PROFESSOR GERDES: RUSSIA CLAIMS THE USA WILL HELP TO REPAIR THE DESTROYED REFINERIES IN RUSSIA!!!
IF THIS IS TRUTH ITS MORE HIGHTREASON THAN THE ILLEGAL DEAL ITSELF!
That’s true, but Ukraine can demolish them faster than the roaches can repair them.
There is a solution: Combine the midterms with the presidential elections next month! Never waste a good crisis.
God he is so inept.
He is like a sugar hyped up toddler with ADHD. He just bounces from one thing to the other and accomplishing nothing. Nobody can trust him because they know he will be fawning over the next person who whispers sweet nothings in his ear.
Other than breaking everything in his path.