“Now is not the time to ease pressure on Russia”: Europe reacts to Trump and Putin’s diesel deal

The United Kingdom, Finland and the European Union have reacted to the agreement between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to supply Russian diesel fuel to the US and world markets. Representatives of European states and the European Commission have stressed the need to maintain sanctions pressure on Russia and reduce dependence on its energy resources.

This is reported by the Independent .

A spokesman for the UK government said that London will continue to support Ukraine and put pressure on Russia through sanctions.

“The UK’s position could not be clearer. We will continue to work closely with international partners to provide Ukraine with the military and financial support it needs to defend itself. We will also maintain pressure on Russia with the toughest sanctions regime the UK has ever applied,” the spokesman said.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo called the agreement on the supply of Russian diesel fuel a “terrible disappointment.”

According to him, the agreed amount of fuel represents only a small part of US consumption, and the possibility of its supply still needs to be confirmed.

“I don’t think it will ultimately make much difference to the United States or the global market,” Orpo said.

The European Commission stressed that the EU intends to reduce its dependence on Russian fossil fuels. European Commission spokesman Anouar El-Announi noted that Europe does not want to contribute to financing Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“Europe is all too aware of the hidden costs associated with over-reliance on Russian hydrocarbons. Furthermore, Europe does not want to contribute to Russia’s war against Ukraine,” El-Anuni said.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaia Kallas also opposed easing sanctions on Russian energy resources, saying Russia had stepped up hybrid attacks against EU states and NATO allies.

“The suspension of sanctions on Russian diesel fuel provides Moscow with additional revenues to wage war. Now is not the time to ease pressure on Russia, and Europe will not do so,” Kallas stressed.