Ex-NATO Commander Warns Trump Diesel Deal Could Fund Putin's War as Zelenskyy Rejects Ceasefire Claims
Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove warns that a U.S.-Russia diesel agreement could give Vladimir Putin fresh revenue to sustain his war on Ukraine, while Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv was not informed of a finalized energy ceasefire and accuses Moscow of rejecting every peace proposal.
A former NATO supreme allied commander is warning that the Trump administration's push to secure a diesel supply agreement with Russia could hand Vladimir Putin fresh revenue to sustain his war against Ukraine while Moscow uses negotiations to buy time. Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove, who also led U.S. European Command, told Fox News Digital that Washington risks undermining Ukraine's fight by cutting a deal with what he called «the enemy.»
«And so we are cutting a deal with the enemy,» Breedlove said, warning that «all of this money will go into fueling Mr. Putin's continued attacks in Ukraine.» His comments came after the Russian government said it had partially lifted a ban on diesel exports with immediate effect, following the new agreement between Putin and Trump for Russia to supply American and global markets.
The arrangement calls for the release of 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the American and global marketplace, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and another 1 million tonnes afterward. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the administration's efforts to increase diesel supplies, saying the government would use «all the legal authorities we have» and that the deal is «good for the American people, bringing these diesel prices down.»
The diesel agreement preceded Trump's announcement of what he described as an «energy ceasefire» between Russia and Ukraine, with the president saying both sides had agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure. «Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!» Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, indicated that Ukraine had not been informed of a finalized ceasefire agreement, though he expressed willingness to halt attacks on Russian energy facilities if Moscow reciprocated. He accused Putin of repeatedly rejecting peace proposals and continuing strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. «Ukraine has proposed many de-escalatory steps. Putin had one answer to all of them – 'nyet,'» Zelenskyy wrote on X. «We do hope that he will finally say something to America, Ukraine, and the entire world that will lead to a real and dignified peace,» he added.
Zelenskyy said Russian forces had carried out more than 200 strikes on Ukraine's electricity generation and transmission facilities over the past week, along with 17 strikes targeting gas and oil infrastructure. He said the attacks had killed more than 150 people and wounded more than 700 over the past week.
The «energy ceasefire» announcement followed tension between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, a component of Ukraine's strategy to weaken Moscow's ability to finance its military campaign. Trump has criticized those strikes, arguing they disrupt global diesel supplies and drive up costs for American farmers and ranchers.
Breedlove argued that Russia and Ukraine are pursuing fundamentally different objectives, accusing Moscow of targeting Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure while describing Kyiv's attacks on Russian energy facilities as an effort to disrupt the revenue sustaining Putin's war. «Russia is carrying on a campaign of what we call counter value. In other words, Russia is attacking the Ukrainian people and trying to force their society to separate themselves from their president, President Zelenskyy,» he said.
Breedlove predicted Washington would pressure Zelenskyy to suspend attacks on Russia's oil industry despite their strategic importance. «What I expect will happen is the United States will force or try to force Zelenskyy to stop bombing the petrochemical business in Russia,» he said.
Separately, Zelenskyy offered to organize Ukrainian elections if Putin agreed to a reciprocal 60-day ceasefire, although holding a vote would face legal and logistical obstacles under Ukraine's martial law. Breedlove expressed deep skepticism that Putin would honor any such ceasefire, citing what he described as a pattern of Russian attacks following negotiations with Trump. «Russia has never kept a promise to this president in this war,» Breedlove said. «He's never changed his expectations, and he's never delivered on his promises. Three out of four of the big cases, the very next day or that same night after the president and Mr. Putin talked, Mr. Putin launched huge attacks in Ukraine.»
Breedlove called for a tougher U.S. response, saying the administration needs to lead from strength. «We now need an administration that leads from power. We say all the time, 'strength through power,' but when it comes to Russia, our demonstrated position is continued conflict through weakness,» he warned. «He started this war. This war is to benefit Russia, and this war is to keep Mr. Putin in power. And our administration needs to tell him to stop.»
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