Exclusive: Zelensky tells Axios Trump's diesel deal with Putin "not fair and not honest"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios in a phone interview on Friday that President Trump's decision to unilaterally lift sanctions on Russia and allow it to export diesel was "not fair and not honest." "You know, it looks like a happy birthday present for Putin. It looks absolutely terrible," Zelensky said in frustration, referring to the Russian president's birthday earlier this…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his disapproval of President Trump's unilateral decision to lift sanctions on Russia and permit the export of Russian diesel fuel. Zelensky deemed the move "not fair and not honest," likening it to a "happy birthday present for Putin." The Ukrainian leader's frustration was evident as he recounted the Russian president's recent birthday and questioned the fairness of the deal.
This announcement by Trump, following a phone call with Putin, sent shockwaves through the Ukrainian government and many European governments, sparking a new crisis between the U.S. and its Western allies. The deal was disclosed as U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met in Miami with the Ukrainian negotiating team, alongside senior diplomats from Germany, France, the UK, the EU, and NATO, to discuss potential solutions to end the ongoing conflict.
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