Zelenskiy blasts Trump’s diesel deal with Russia, calls Moscow’s peace moves a ‘parody’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday criticised US President Donald Trump’s diesel deal with Russia and welcomed the prospect of European allies playing a greater role in negotiations, describing Moscow’s approach to peace talks as a “parody”.

Speaking at a European Union summit in Brussels, Zelenskiy said Russia was not interested in peace, adding that Ukraine was still experiencing disruptions to the SpaceX Starshield satellite system used for battlefield operations and to counter Russian drones attacking cities far from the frontline.

EU leaders rallied around Zelenskiy after Trump again criticised Ukraine, describing its strikes on Russian oil refineries as a “disgrace”. On arriving at the summit, Zelenskiy referred to his European counterparts as “real leaders”.

The EU is hosting Zelenskiy at a difficult time for Ukraine, as Russian missiles and drones continue to hit Ukrainian cities and concerns grow that Washington could reduce intelligence sharing and weapons support for Kyiv.

‘Money in Putin’s pocket’

Trump surprised Zelenskiy last weekend by announcing that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to target each other’s energy facilities. With US midterm elections scheduled for November, Trump has blamed Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries for driving up energy prices.

The diesel deal with Russia has angered Ukraine and some of its European allies.

“And now we can see how cash will start flowing back into Russia through the diesel deal,” Zelenskiy told a news conference on the sidelines of the summit.

“This diesel deal will never be enough to offset the impact of the Strait of Hormuz on global markets. But it will put more money straight into Putin’s pocket to fund this war,” he said.

Zelenskiy also accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of having no genuine interest in peace negotiations.

“Putin does not want peace talks at the moment, in any form,” he said. “He’s playing with words, claiming they respond… Quite simply, it looks like a parody of a genuine desire to end the war.”

The Kremlin said last week that Ukraine had undermined the possibility of an immediate resumption of peace talks after launching drone attacks on Moscow during last month’s election.

In the latest attacks on Ukraine, Russian drone strikes on the city of Kharkiv killed three people, while strikes elsewhere left hundreds of thousands without electricity.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal told Reuters that the European Union would probably have to provide Ukraine with a new loan to help cover its budget shortfall next year.

“Last winter was already hell, this one will be once again like hell,” Michal said.

He urged European countries not to lose sight of the consequences of the war, noting that Ukrainians continued to endure power cuts and heating disruptions while fighting Russian forces.

No ready-made European alternative to Starlink

Ukraine’s leadership has expressed concern over disruptions to the Starshield satellite system. A source in Ukraine’s defence ministry said on Thursday that Starshield receivers were only working at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour (160 kph), complicating their use for military missions.

A US official denied that Trump had ordered a deliberate slowdown of Starshield, the military-grade version of the Starlink service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Trump also said this week that intelligence sharing with Ukraine was continuing.

Europe does not have a ready-made alternative to Starlink, although governments and companies are working on longer-term options.

Zelenskiy said the operation of SpaceX’s satellite communications had improved but had not been fully restored, adding that the disruption put civilian lives at risk.

“Starlink is really necessary for Ukraine. And unfortunately, in short term, Europe can’t replace this capability,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.

Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery after Zelenskiy announced that Kyiv was abandoning the energy ceasefire proposed by Trump.

“All he’s doing is making the world oil price higher. Well, I think that’s a disgrace,” Trump said in an interview with Newsmax.

While EU leaders criticised the US deal to buy Russian diesel, they were also grappling with rising energy prices linked to the war involving Iran. The issue exposed divisions among member states during the first day of the summit on Thursday.

In his address to EU leaders, later published on X, Zelenskiy said Ukraine would need additional financial and military assistance to sustain its defence.

“The war will cost €155 billion next year. And we need at least €70 billion more from you – for defence, for weapons, and for our resilience,” he said.

“This is a realistic amount. And I ask you to find this support. It will help us hold Russia back.”

Credit: Reuters