Trump reports progress in Ukraine–Russia talks, criticises Zelensky over oil strikes
Trump said progress was being made in negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and argued that new US sanctions could push Moscow away from the bargaining table. He also criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over strikes on Russian oil facilities, claiming they were harming fuel markets and US businesses.
The remarks followed a Ukrainian drone offensive involving more than 1,000 drones, with oil infrastructure in St Petersburg reportedly hit. Trump defended delaying new sanctions and said Russia was doing little to help Iran, which he wanted to remain the case. He gave no figures to support his claims about the economic impact of the refinery attacks.
- Trump claims peace negotiations are making progress.
- He says new sanctions could undermine talks.
- He blames Ukrainian strikes for pressure on diesel markets.
New here? Start with this
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the war has continued despite repeated efforts to negotiate an end to the fighting. The conflict involves Ukraine’s government, led by President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russia’s government, led by President Vladimir Putin; the United States has also played a major role through military aid, diplomacy and sanctions.
Sanctions are restrictions intended to put economic pressure on a country, while attacks on oil facilities can disrupt fuel production and trade. The United States’ approach matters because its decisions can affect both the parties’ calculations in negotiations and businesses exposed to energy markets.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of Trump’s approach could argue that keeping sanctions in reserve preserves leverage for negotiations, while imposing them too soon might harden Moscow’s position and prolong the war. They may also see criticism of strikes on oil infrastructure as a way to limit disruption to fuel markets and US businesses, and to discourage escalation while talks continue.
The case against
Critics could argue that delaying sanctions risks weakening pressure on Moscow when Russia has not shown sufficient willingness to end the war, and that credible economic costs may be needed to secure meaningful concessions. They may also contend that Ukraine’s strikes on oil facilities are part of its effort to impair Russia’s war capacity, while Trump’s claims about harm to markets and US businesses were unsupported by figures.
Business Europe Geopolitics Markets Politics World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Trump reveals peace deal in progress between Ukraine and Russia as he slams Zelensky for hurting oil markets”.