Zelensky: US invited Ukrainian delegation to talks in order to strike a deal with Putin on diesel sanctions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the team of US President Donald Trump of acting dishonestly. He says the invitation to a Ukrainian delegation for talks in the United States was used to agree with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on lifting sanctions on Russian diesel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the team of US President Donald Trump acted dishonestly toward Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda, Zelensky believes Washington invited a Ukrainian delegation for talks in the United States, but used the meeting to reach a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin behind Kyiv's back.
What the deal was about
According to Zelensky, the arrangement concerns lifting sanctions on Russian diesel fuel. Such sanctions restrict Russia's exports of oil products, so removing them would be a significant benefit to Moscow.
Why it matters
The Ukrainian president's claim points to tension between Kyiv and the Trump administration at a time when Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russia's invasion. Zelensky suggests that the invitation to talks was not an honest gesture, but a way to hold discussions on sanctions while Ukraine's representatives were occupied elsewhere.
The source gives no further details about the content of the deal, who took part, or whether the US side has responded to these claims.
