Trump says EU paid Russia $250b as he defends diesel deal with Putin
Trump did not provide calculations or specify the timeframe covered by the $250 billion figure
US President Donald Trump has defended a new diesel supply agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing European energy spending to counter criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US lawmakers.
Trump announced the deal on Friday (9 October), drawing criticism from Zelenskyy and US lawmakers, who warned that easing restrictions on Russian fuel exports would provide financial support to Moscow as its war against Ukraine continues, says First Post.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump defended the move as consistent with his "America First" agenda. He claimed the European Union had paid Russia $250 billion for energy and accused media outlets of avoiding the issue.
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Trump did not provide calculations or specify the timeframe covered by the $250 billion figure.
EU foreign ministers confirmed on Monday that the bloc's sanctions against Moscow would remain in effect despite the US-Russia agreement.
The EU has sought to reduce its reliance on Russian energy since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The bloc also announced new sanctions targeting individuals and entities supporting Russia's military-industrial complex.
