'America first': Trump defends Russia diesel deal amid bipartisan backlash
President Trump is defending his decision to allow Russian diesel imports, framing it as an 'America First' policy despite criticism from Ukraine and new EU sanctions. The EU has simultaneously expanded its sanctions regime to target over 1,500 individuals and entities linked to Russia's military-industrial complex.
Why it matters
This highlights a growing geopolitical rift between US energy policy and EU-led sanctions efforts against Russia.
US President Donald Trump on Monday defended his decision to allow Russian diesel supplies to the United States, saying his administration had acted in the interests of the American people. He also accused the media of ignoring the European Union's energy payments to Moscow, as Ukraine criticised the deal and the EU announced fresh sanctions against Russia.In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that the European Union had paid Russia $250 billion for energy and accused the media of avoiding the issue."The European Union paid Russia 250 Billion Dollars for Energy, and the Fake News Media doesn’t want to get near that story," Trump wrote.Defending his energy policy, he added, "I made the right choice for the American People — ALWAYS, AMERICA FIRST!"The remarks come amid criticism of the proposed Russian diesel supplies, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has argued could help Moscow finance its war against…
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