Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on 15/10 that Russia accepted the diesel agreement with the US, which President Donald Trump had announced earlier. Lavrov stated that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, instead of supporting the agreement, requested more missiles to continue attacking Russian energy facilities, including oil refineries. "This is a direct and blatant challenge to President Trump," Lavrov said.

Lavrov also accused Zelensky of being unwilling to engage in any truly fair and equitable constructive action, adding that the Ukraine leader had set "unacceptable conditions" for organizing elections in the country.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on 12/10. Photo: AP

Commenting on media reports about a "peace plan" being jointly developed by the US and Europe, Lavrov indicated that Russia had not received any official proposals on the matter. He also noted that, "based on leaked information" he had seen, the plan lacked ideas for achieving lasting and sustainable peace in Ukraine.

The US President announced on 9/10 that Russia had agreed to immediately supply over 300,000 tons of diesel to the US and global markets, with an additional approximately 4,5 million tons from November, depending on refinery conditions. He later announced an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine President Zelensky accused Russia of continuing to attack its power plants, violating the ceasefire. However, Trump clarified that the agreement only applied to oil refineries, which have not been operational in Ukraine since the conflict began.

Black smoke rises from Gazprom's oil refinery on the southeastern outskirts of Moscow, Russia, on 18/6, after a large-scale UAV attack from Ukraine. Photo: AFP

Despite widespread criticism, President Trump defended the diesel import deal from Russia, asserting it was the right choice for the US. Ukraine President Zelensky said he felt "betrayed" by the agreement and on 15/10 ordered the resumption of attacks on Russian oil refineries. President Trump called this action "shameful" and criticized Zelensky for "not doing the world any good by attacking these diesel refineries, which produce the fuel we and the rest of the world need."