Symbolic imageSenators of both parties challenge Trump's Russian diesel deal as Berlin refuses to follow
Senators from both parties say Trump's diesel deal with Russia breaks US law, while Trump defends it, Reuters reports. Germany and the EU say they will not copy it.
Trump announced the deal on Friday, 9 October, after a phone call with Putin. According to AP, quoted by Koha, he promised more than 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel at once, 500,000 in November and larger volumes later. Four Republican and two or three Democratic senators signed a letter saying the move contradicts Congress's 2022 ban on Russian energy imports and that the administration failed to notify Congress as the law requires. FAZ counts seven signatories, Koha six. The White House did not initially respond, FAZ reports, which names lower US energy prices before the midterms as Trump's motive. Reuters reports that Russia says it may export up to 3.5 million tonnes of diesel a month by year-end.
Berlin and Brussels decline
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, according to Der Spiegel as cited by Meduza, that Germany and the EU will not follow the US example. He wants sanctions on Moscow tightened, since Russia answered the energy ceasefire proposal with fresh strikes on Ukrainian civilian and energy infrastructure.
Energy ceasefire unconfirmed
Trump said on Sunday that an energy ceasefire was in force, but the Kremlin said only that contacts continue, FAZ reports. Zelenskyy said Russian drones and missiles kept hitting Ukrainian power and gas facilities overnight, according to the Financial Times, which calls the extra diesel supply modest.
Other opinions
Le Monde notes that Putin has said nothing for three days and that the Kremlin has long rejected temporary ceasefires.