US warns Ukraine over intelligence as Trump makes Russian diesel deal

Relations between Washington and Kyiv have frayed after US President Donald Trump agreed a major diesel supply deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, following Ukraine's refusal to halt drone strikes on Russian oil refineries.

The arrangement came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ignored six direct appeals from Washington to stop targeting Russian fuel infrastructure. US officials argued that the Ukrainian attacks were exacerbating global energy shortages and driving up fuel costs for American consumers.

Why Washington and Kyiv are at odds over intelligence

During eight hours of talks in Miami between Ukrainian negotiators and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, a Ukrainian official alleged that Washington warned it could suspend vital intelligence sharing if Ukraine continued cross-border strikes against Russian energy targets. A US official, speaking in a report published by Axios, disputed that characterisation, stating the envoys simply emphasised Washington's role as an essential weapons and intelligence partner while urging Kyiv not to harm American consumers.

Zelenskyy had offered to halt strikes on Russian refineries if Moscow agreed to stop targeting Ukrainian power infrastructure. However, Trump insisted that Kyiv cease its strikes unconditionally.

What happened in the US-Russia diesel deal

Under the terms announced by Trump, Russia will immediately deliver more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to the United States, followed by 500,000 tons in November and a further 4 million tons in subsequent shipments. In response, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced that Moscow would begin lifting domestic export restrictions ahead of schedule.

Zelenskyy expressed outrage over the agreement, accusing Washington of using peace discussions in Miami as cover to conduct side deals with Moscow. Calling the arrangement "an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged", Zelenskyy warned that purchasing Russian fuel would supply the Kremlin with fresh revenue to sustain its invasion.

How Ukraine and Russia have reacted on the ground

Despite the US pressure, Kyiv launched around 500 drones overnight against Russian targets, including an attack on an oil facility in the Rostov region. Meanwhile, Russian forces fired missiles at the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, striking a residential building and killing at least seven people, with 14 others reported missing.

Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin and Trump spoke for 90 minutes by phone to finalise the agreement. While Trump's team framed the deal as a step to ease fuel prices, Ushakov said recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian cities during parliamentary elections had thwarted any immediate resumption of broader peace negotiations.