"Scandalous, shocking, betrayal": "Send the Royal Navy to intercept Russian fuel"

Critics warn that the deal could weaken Western sanctions against Moscow and provide a fresh source of revenue for the Russian economy.

Con Coughlin, defence and foreign affairs editor at Britain's The Telegraph, argues in his analysis that Trump has thrown the Kremlin a lifeline at a time when the Russian economy is suffering the effects of Western sanctions.

Under the agreement, Russia is expected to supply the U.S. and global markets with an initial 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel, followed by an additional 1.5 million tonnes by the end of the year.

The deal is intended to ease shortages and bring down energy prices, which have become an increasingly serious political problem for Trump.

Coughlin argues that such an agreement could seriously undermine the effectiveness of sanctions imposed on Russia by Western countries following the start of its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“Ordinary Ukrainians will pay with their lives for lower diesel prices on the global market,” Coughlin warns.

A long-running feud with Zelensky

Beyond the effort to lower energy prices, Trump's deal with Putin may also be driven by his long-standing feud with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Tensions between the two presidents date back to Trump's first term, when Zelenskyy refused to launch an investigation into Joe Biden, Trump's political rival at the time.

Their relationship deteriorated further following a heated argument in the Oval Office in February 2025.

Although Washington has continued to provide some support to Ukraine, Trump has repeatedly called on Zelenskyy to step down and make way for a new president who would be more willing to accept the U.S. proposal for ending the war.

The U.S. president recently blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure for the sharp rise in diesel prices. He demanded that Kyiv halt such operations if it wanted to maintain Western support.

He also reiterated his call for Ukrainians to find a “new leader who can make a deal,” alluding to the deadlock in the U.S. peace initiative.

Trump could face political consequences

However, according to Coughlin’s analysis, the main cause of rising diesel prices is not Ukraine’s campaign against Russian energy infrastructure, but rather the U.S. war against Iran.

Moreover, it is questionable whether additional Russian fuel supplies could have any significant impact on global energy prices before the U.S. congressional elections, which are just over three weeks away.

Trump’s deal with Putin could therefore do greater damage to the U.S. president’s international reputation than to Zelenskyy’s, dealing another serious political blow to the Ukrainian leader.

If energy prices remain high, American voters could blame Trump himself, rather than the Ukrainian president, for the rising cost of living, according to The Telegraph analysis, which was reported by Jutarnji list.

Johnson also launches scathing criticism

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has sharply criticized Trump over the deal with Russia, calling it “disgusting.”

He also said that the British Royal Navy should intercept Russian tankers if they attempt to pass through the English Channel.

“The double standards are outrageous. Why should Putin be allowed to destroy Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and kill civilians, while Ukrainians are forbidden from hitting back?” Johnson asked in an interview with the Daily Mail.