9h ago
23.01 BST
'I want
to thank President Putin', Trump says, after agreeing to lift sanctions on
Russian diesel ahead of midterms
As he
left the White House on Friday for a rally in New York state, flanked by the
former boxer Mike Tyson, Donald Trump extended his thanks to Russia’s
president, Vladimir Putin, for agreeing to sell diesel fuel to the US in return
for the lifting of US sanctions on fuel exports from Russia, even as Russia’s
deadly war on Ukraine continues.
When a
reporter asked Trump to comment on the response from Ukraine’s president,
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said “that you are weak”, Trump ignored the question
and turned to the rest op the press corps to boast about the deal.
“I think
you heard about the oil deal with Russia. That is a big deal,” Trump said.
“That is
massive amounts of oil coming into our country. And I want to thank President
Putin, to be honest with you. We have massive amounts of oil coming into our
country, and it’s diesel which is what we want, so: thank you,” the president
said.
“Zelenskyy
said you are weak because of it,” the reporter told Trump. “He just criticized
you.”
“Who said
that?” Trump leaned in and asked.
“Zelenskyy,
the Ukrainian president, just said you are weak because of the deal you made
with Putin,” the journalist replied.
Trump
then stepped away and called on another journalist instead of responding.
Minutes
later, another reporter returned to the subject, telling Trump: “President
Zelenskyy said the diesel deal is a weak move by a strong partner that will
only prolong the war.”
When that
reporter asked, “Is this emboldening-” Trump cut in to ask: “By a strong what?”
“By a
strong partner that will only prolong the war,” the reporter said.
“Well, we
are a strong partner,” Trump said.
“Will
this embolden Putin?” the reporter asked.
“Well,
no; we need oil for the world and this is diesel which is what we need. So,
we’re very happy to get it,” Trump said. “We’re very happy to get it. Look, we
need it. Oil prices are already dropping like a rock. So, we’re very happy to
get it.”
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