Friday’s diesel deal between Trump and Putin wasn’t only about diesel. It was also about Kyiv.<\/p>\n
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<\/strong><\/em>. The alleged source was a US official with direct knowledge, who did not hold back:<\/p>\n “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.” https:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/energy\/payback-trump-cut-putin-diesel-deal-after-zelensky-ignored-six-pleas-stop-refinery-strikes<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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 … Continue reading
\nIn other words, the sanctions waiver was as much a message to Kyiv as a gift to Moscow<\/strong><\/em>. 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.<\/p>\n