EU says US deal lifting diesel sanctions 'funds' Russian war on Ukraine

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Saturday that lifting sanctions on Russian diesel helped fuel the Kremlin's war on Ukraine, after US President Donald Trump announced a deal for Moscow to supply fuel. Issued on: 10/10/2026 - 17:06 2 min Reading time "Russian strikes killed over 80 Ukrainian civilians in two days. Moreover, it has stepped up its hybrid attacks against Europe, both EU Member States and NATO allies," Kallas posted online. "Suspending sanctions on Russian diesel provides Moscow with more revenues to wage war. This is not the time to ease pressure on Russia, and Europe won't," she wrote. Trump said Friday he had secured Russia's agreement for a major release of diesel, as he eased war sanctions on Moscow in a push to lower energy costs ahead of midterm elections. The move drew a furious reaction from Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and the EU pledged to keep on ratcheting up its own measures against Moscow. EU foreign ministers are set on Monday to formally add some 1,600 new indidividuals and entities to the EU's sanctions blacklist over the war in Ukraine. Russia threatens retaliatory seizures of EU ships amid new sanctions push Separately from Kallas, the European Commission in response to Trump's diesel deal, called for a truce that covered infrastructure in both Ukraine and Russia. "We continue to believe that a ceasefire which would protect global food supplies and Energy Infrastructure in Ukraine and Russia is needed," the EU's executive said. It added: "Europe knows too well the hidden costs linked to over reliance on Russian hydrocarbons, and Europe does not wish to fuel Russia's war against Ukraine." Zelensky said on Friday that the fuel deal was "unworthy of our partners" and described it as a "weak decision". Diplomatic push in Miami Moscow has intensified its deadly bombardment of Ukraine in recent months, sending civilian casualties soaring. Early Saturday, Russia targeted residential neighbourhoods in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia with "five guided aerial bombs", according to Ukraine's national police service. At least 15 people were killed, among them three children, Ukraine's state rescue service said. Meanwhile, US, Ukrainian and European officials meanwhile met in Miami on Friday in a renewed diplomatic push to end the war. Trump, who has repeatedly touted his credentials as a peacemaker, has long sought to broker a deal since taking office last January. US leads fresh Ukraine peace push with Miami talks US envoy Steve Witkoff posted to social media platform X after the meeting that the "constructive discussions" tackled "potential avenues to de-escalate and conclude the war with Russia ahead of winter and advance efforts toward a durable and lasting peace". Witkoff said the meeting included "the E3, the European Commission, Ukraine and NATO". The Kremlin said Saturday that Trump had conveyed his ideas about how to de-escalate the war to Putin during a phone call on Friday. Putin received the proposals "with understanding", the Kremlin said, without elaborating on what the proposals were or the Russian president's response. (with AFP)