Steffen Cornelius
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Trump announces Russian diesel deal and "energy ceasefire"; Zelensky criticises it as weakness
US President Donald Trump said on 9 October he had reached a deal with Vladimir Putin on Russian diesel exports to US and global markets, and on 11 October announced an "energy ceasefire" halting strikes on each other's oil refineries. The US Treasury issued a temporary licence authorising Russian diesel supplies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the decision "obvious weakness that plays into Russia's hands," noted the news came as a surprise to him, and said Ukraine would stop striking Russian refineries only if Russia stops attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas criticised the deal as undermining allied efforts to pressure Russia.