Ukraine Warupdated 1h ago3 min read
Kaja Kallas Says US Diesel Sanctions Suspension Gives Russia Revenue To Wage War
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Kallas asserts lifting Russian diesel sanctions funds Moscow’s war effort. Trump-Putin deal unlocks about 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel.
EU warns of war revenue
The EU’s high representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, said the United States’ temporary suspension of sanctions on Russian diesel provides Moscow with "more revenue to wage the war (in Ukraine)" and that "it is not the time" to ease pressure on Russia. Kallas added that Russian attacks have caused the death of more than 80 Ukrainian civilians in two days and that Moscow has "intensified its hybrid attacks against Europe, both against EU member states and NATO allies." The United States authorized operations related to the sale, delivery, unloading, and import of Russian-origin diesel, including its entry into the U.S. market, until April 7, 2027, despite sanctions imposed on Moscow.
The license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) allows these operations despite sanctions on Russia, but it maintains restrictions on payments through accounts of three Russian state financial institutions. EU foreign ministers intend to approve the largest set of sanctions lists directed at Russia’s war machinery since the conflict began in Ukraine in February 2022 at their meeting next Monday.
Trump deal meets Ukrainian anger
United States President Donald Trump said he agreed a deal after a "highly successful discussion" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, under which Russia would "immediately" supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to the US and global marketplace. Trump added that another 500,000 tonnes would be released in November and a further 1 million tonnes sometime after that, and he said Russia would then deliver another 3 million tonnes of diesel depending on the condition of its diesel refineries. Volodymyr Zelenskiy denounced the agreement as a "biased gift to Putin" and said "Russia today thanked the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia."
Zelenskiy also wrote that Russia’s deal with the US would allow it to kill more people, and he said "Gifts to Putin will not bring peace nor any benefit to the civilized world." The Russian Kremlin said Putin received Trump’s proposals with "understanding," while Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022 and Moscow currently controls about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Germany sticks to sanctions
Germany said it would continue working with EU partners on Russia sanctions after Trump’s diesel reprieve, and government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said the federal government "remains committed to the decisions on sanctions against Russia". Kornelius added that Germany’s "support for Ukraine in its struggle to defend itself remains unfailing" while diplomatic efforts for a peaceful solution continue. The DW roundup said Germany has not imported any oil or oil products from Russia since 2023 and that Russian crude and other oil products have been subject to EU sanctions since 2023.
Kaja Kallas said EU foreign ministers intend to approve the largest sanctions package since the start of the conflict, and she warned that "Europe fully understands the hidden costs associated with excessive dependence on Russian fuel". Ukraine’s foreign minister Andriy Sybiha asserted that Zelenskiy "has the support of the Ukrainian people," while Trump told Zelenskiy he "had better stop" attacking Russian refineries and urged Ukraine to choose "a new president."