Putin, Trump Agree on “Much More” Diesel – Serbia’s Vucic to RT

Former Serbian President Vucic told RT that Trump’s diesel deal with Putin is part of a broader strategy to pull Russia away from China.

In an exclusive interview to RT Balkan, Aleksandar Vucic said: US President Donald Trump's diesel contract with Russia is part of a wider geopolitical strategy to distance Moscow from Beijing.

According to Vucic, who recently stepped down as president of Serbia to run for prime minister, Washington, which sees China as its main rival, hopes to weaken Beijing's partnership with Russia by improving relations with Moscow.

Trump announced the deal after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on October 9. Moscow agreed to supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to US and global markets immediately, followed by another 500,000 tons in November and a million tons after that. Washington subsequently lifted sanctions on Russian diesel until April 7, 2027.

Before the deal, Trump blamed rising fuel prices for Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries, although markets have also been disrupted by the US war with Iran, which has affected shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

"As far as Donald Trump is concerned, he's doing a smart thing for America, he's trying to do something to lower the price per gallon ... but I don't think it's just about diesel," Vucic said, noting that the initial 300,000 tons would cover less than a day's worth of U.S. consumption.

With U.S. midterm elections approaching and Trump's standoff with Tehran increasingly unpopular, Vucic suggested the deal could aim to win over voters in part by lowering fuel prices. However, he suggested that there was a larger geopolitical calculation behind the deal.

I think it's more than that. Donald Trump knows that his main rival is China. And in a complicated way, he is trying to distance Russia somewhat from China and bring it closer to America."

Asked if Trump was seeking closer ties with Moscow, Vucic replied: Of course.

"If he is at odds with Russia, he will bring Russia closer to China," he explained. "Trump is trying to push Russia, China's powerful ally, at least a little away from this alliance."

The Trump administration has long treated China as a major strategic rival. Its 2025 national security strategy calls for rebalancing economic ties with Beijing. Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington last month to discuss trade, Taiwan and Iran. The two sides agreed to extend their trade truce until January, but tensions over tariffs, technology and security remain.

Meanwhile, Russia and China have only deepened their strategic and energy cooperation due to Western sanctions on Moscow regarding Ukraine. Beijing has become Moscow's biggest oil customer and a major buyer of Russian gas, expanding supplies through the Power of Siberia pipeline as Russia diverts energy exports from Europe.

Speaking about Russia-US relations, Vucic also pointed to Washington's diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, saying that its parallel negotiation channels with Moscow and Kiev show that it is serious about reaching a solution. However, he sees little prospect of an imminent breakthrough.

Vucic expressed hope that a peace agreement would be reached within five to six months. Asked if he feared the conflict would turn into a direct confrontation between Russia and the EU, Vucic replied: "I'm afraid of that, but I hope it won't happen."

Serbia has maintained close ties with Russia and, under Vučić, has resisted EU pressure to impose sanctions on Moscow over Ukraine, despite Belgrade's ambitions to join the bloc. In the interview, Vucic reiterated the need to maintain Serbia's traditional ties with Moscow despite external pressure, saying that leaders should "keep their cool and make rational and wise decisions."

The president of Serbia resigned from his post. The real battle for the country has just begun

Vucic resigned from his second term last month ahead of early parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25. Banned by the Serbian constitution from seeking a third term, he is now seeking the post of prime minister as a candidate for the ruling Progressive Party of Serbia (SNS).