On October 9, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his outrage over the negotiations between the US and Russia that took place in Florida during an interview with Axios. According to him, American representatives did not mention a potential deal for diesel fuel supplies from Russia during their meeting with the Ukrainian team.
Negotiations in Florida
Zelensky revealed that the US special envoy Steve Vitkoff proposed to hold negotiations in Miami. The American diplomats planned to relay the results of the meeting to the Russians and then possibly visit Kiev to discuss a peace agreement. The president noted that an hour before Donald Trump's announcement regarding talks with Putin, his team received information that Trump intended to discuss matters with the Russian leader.
Zelensky's Statements on the Deal
Zelensky emphasized that the situation seemed unfair, as Ukraine was trying to build its relationship with the US. He stated that he would support the easing of sanctions against Russian energy resources if it was accompanied by an agreement to cease attacks on energy facilities in Ukraine and Russia during the winter period. However, he believes that Trump might only announce such concessions if Putin agrees to it.
- Zelensky considers the deal to resemble "Alaska number two".
- He stressed that Ukraine needs the US as partners.
Trump's Reaction
In response to news of the deal with Russia, Trump expressed gratitude to Putin, noting that it involved "huge volumes" of oil being supplied to the US. He also mentioned that the delivery of 300,000 tons of Russian diesel is equivalent to approximately 14-15 hours of fuel consumption in the US. Trump stated that the US is a "strong partner" and that receiving this diesel is important for peace.