Trump Says He Agreed With Putin to Import Russian Diesel

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday, 2 October, that he had agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin to import diesel fuel from Russia into the United States. The Latvian magazine Ir examines the decision in a commentary that is sharply critical. The issue matters because Russia continues its war against Ukraine, and the US and other countries have used sanctions to limit Moscow's revenues.

What happened

The announcement came about two weeks after Trump signed a law named after US Senator Lindsey Graham. The law provides for 100% tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil. According to the president, the United States now plans to buy Russian diesel as well.

The commentary's assessment

The author of the Ir commentary argues that Trump is lifting previously imposed sanctions on Russian diesel and giving the Kremlin a chance to earn billions in additional revenue. The commentary notes that this comes while the number of Ukrainians killed in Russian drone and missile strikes keeps rising. It also says Moscow is preparing to leave Ukraine's large cities without heating, electricity and water in winter.

The author describes the decision as treacherous, unlawful and ineffective. He compares it with another of Trump's moves: since spring, the US president has reportedly frozen a major arms deal with Taiwan. The commentary links this to a wish to get closer to Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

These are the commentary author's judgements, not officially confirmed facts. The source does not give the volume of the planned deliveries or other details of the deal.