Ex-Austrian Foreign Minister - Trump-Putin Diesel Deal Defeats West Against Russia

Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneisel says that the US diesel deal with Moscow has revealed differences in the West's anti-Russian stance.

Former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneisel has said Washington's diesel deal with Moscow has exposed divisions in the West over its anti-Russian stance as the United States moves toward a more pragmatic approach.

US President Donald Trump last week announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in which sanctions on Russian diesel imports will be eased until April 2027 to lower fuel prices. The move represents a departure from the Western sanctions policy that has been imposed against Moscow since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022.

Speaking to TASS on Friday, Kneisel described the deal as more than a "symbolic development" and pointed to the 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel expected to reach US and global markets by November.

"The EU says this undermines the united West's stance. However, it could be said that this represents a shift in the US approach to a more pragmatic one, while the EU continues to follow a purely ideological line," he said.

The agreement has been criticized by European leaders attending a two-day EU summit in Brussels this week. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis accused Trump of marginalizing the union, telling reporters that "Trump stabbed us in the back by doing business with Putin. We have to do something."

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However, Bulgarian Prime Minister Roman Radov welcomed the deal, arguing that less direct fuel was necessary for Europe's economic competitiveness. He said: "We appreciate every step towards reducing fuel prices and ensuring our competitiveness."

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kalas, while defending Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries, described the deal as a "gift to Putin." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated on Friday that the bloc will maintain its sanctions against Moscow despite Washington's decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel.

Brussels' hardline stance contrasts with EU member Slovakia, which remains heavily dependent on Russian energy and seeks to maintain economic ties with Moscow. Prime Minister Robert Fico has repeatedly called for diplomacy rather than continued military support for Kiev.

This dispute has also strained relations between Washington and Kiev. Trump has repeatedly asked Volodymyr Zelensky to stop Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries and considered these attacks to be the reason for the increase in global fuel prices.

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Zelensky criticized the Diesel deal, calling it a "poor decision" and accusing Trump of "betrayal." Ukraine continued to target Russian energy facilities, including a refinery in the Ryazan region on Thursday, prompting Trump to condemn the attacks as a "disgrace". At Friday's summit, Zelenskiy asked European leaders for more financial and military aid but came up empty-handed, with only promises of renewed support.

The confrontation comes as global diesel supplies are under pressure from the US-Israel war against Iran, which has severely disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The International Energy Agency on Thursday agreed to accelerate the release of emergency oil stocks, including more than 20 million barrels of diesel, in an effort to ease shortages and lower prices.