Zelensky slams Trump’s ‘weak decision’

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has lashed out at US President Donald Trump over his decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports, accusing Washington of striking a deal with Moscow behind Kiev’s back.

Zelensky described the move as “definitely unfair,” “definitely not partner-like” and “a weak decision by strong partners,” effectively portraying it as a stab in the back just as Ukrainian negotiators and Kiev’s European backers were meeting American officials to discuss a potential peace settlement in Miami.

In a voice memo sent to Western journalists on Friday, Zelensky suggested Trump had used Ukrainian negotiators as a “smokescreen” while pursuing a separate agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“You know, it looks like a happy birthday present for Putin. It looks absolutely terrible,” he told Axios in a separate phone interview, referring to the Russian leader’s 74th birthday earlier this week.

Trump initially ignored journalists’ questions about Zelensky calling him “weak” but later brushed aside the criticism, defending the agreement as necessary to ease soaring fuel prices.

“We need oil for the world and this is diesel, which is what we need. So we’re very happy to get it,” the US president said.

Earlier on Friday, Trump announced that following a “successful discussion” with Putin, Moscow had agreed to immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to American and global markets, followed by 500,000 tons in November, another million tons shortly thereafter, and potentially 3 million additional tons depending on refinery capacity.