The U.S. Did Not Warn Ukraine About the Diesel Deal with Russia or the Easing of Sanctions, Says Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv had not been informed in advance of the U.S.-Russia agreement on the supply of diesel fuel or the decision to ease sanctions. 

According to him, both moves came as a surprise to Ukraine.

“We didn’t know about the ‘diesel deal,’ okay. The lifting of sanctions was also a ‘surprise’ for everyone, okay. But if this is related to our responses on enemy territory, where our people are being killed, I think we need to be consulted about it.

I think we should be informed about this. We received signals only after these events had already taken place,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The president emphasized that Ukraine had supported the proposal for an “energy ceasefire” from the very beginning. If an agreement to halt attacks on energy infrastructure could not be reached, Kyiv proposed considering other options for a ceasefire.

According to Zelenskyy, the U.S. side conveyed the relevant signals to Ukraine, but Russia did not agree to a cessation of hostilities in this area.

“Our proposal was simple. We supported the ‘energy ceasefire’ right away. If that’s not possible, then propose at least some kind of ‘ceasefire.’ If that’s not possible—and this depends on Russia, which is unwilling—we received a signal from the U.S. side,” the president noted.

Zelenskyy also explained that Ukraine had tried to take into account the interests of the U.S., which had made a decision regarding agreements with Russia. At the same time, Kyiv insisted on the need to protect its own energy infrastructure from Russian attacks.

The president stated that he had proposed to the U.S. side that it provide Ukraine with anti-ballistic missiles necessary to strengthen the protection of energy facilities.

“My proposal was this: okay, we’re partners; of course, you need this—you’ve decided you need it, even though all the analysis shows it won’t affect the price—but nevertheless. And you need this, but they (Russia—Ed.) will attack our power grid; if there is no energy ceasefire, then give us anti-ballistic missiles so that I can protect our energy facilities. Don’t give us too many. I haven’t received them,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

According to the president, Ukraine has not received the requested missiles. He called the situation strange, given that Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and the agreements between Washington and Moscow, he said, were not previously coordinated with Kyiv.

The head of state spoke about this during a conversation with journalists.

Republican U.S. Senators Roger Wicker and Kevin Cramer proposed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy temporarily suspend strikes on Russian energy facilities. In exchange, the United States could expand the coverage area of Ukraine’s Starlink satellite network by approximately 300 kilometers into Russian territory.

Ukraine will resume strikes on Russian oil refineries, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated. Details regarding the timing and scale of future attacks have not yet been provided.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has threatened Ukraine with new strikes in response to attacks on Russian oil refineries and other facilities.