I’m glad I don’t
drive a diesel vehicle because I would be directly supporting the Kremlin’s
brutal ongoing invasion of Ukraine. I don’t want to support that. Do you? By
his actions, Trump is demanding that we do just that. That sucks for Ukraine
and for America, that our leader thinks we should suck up to the Hitler of our
time to save a few bucks. We already have it much easier than Asia and Europe
in terms of the effects of both the Iran War and the loss of Russian refinery
capacity. Trump is demanding that Ukraine stop bombing Russian refineries, but
I don’t recall him demanding Russia stop bombing buses, apartment buildings,
locomotives, power plants, major bridges, and other civilian targets. Instead,
he demands Ukraine not bomb diesel refineries, which I believe are clearly a
military target. Power plants are not powering the invasion of their country;
diesel is, and they have a right to stop it.
The diesel deal with Russia
amounts to about a 9- or 10-day supply of U.S. diesel over a four-month period.
That is a lot if it were just added to the U.S. market but not so much if added
to the world market as planned. It would probably help ease high prices a
little, but the effect would be temporary and probably a pretty small price
drop. However, with recent reports that 51% of Russia’s refinery capacity is
offline, I am not sure what they can add to the market. I am not sure how much
diesel they have in storage. The deal would certainly help Russia and its
full-war economy and help fund the bombing of Ukraine, which takes up much of
the country’s budget. It is a pointless war of aggression that benefits no one,
not even Russia.
“immediately supply over
300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace.”
“He promised 500,000 more tons in November, 1 million
tons after that and 3 million more “within a short period of time,” depending
on the condition of Russia’s refineries. Trump said diesel prices would be
“COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!”
“Oil analyst Andy Lipow said the first two Russian
shipments are “quite small” compared with the entire global diesel market,
according to The Hill.”
“Lipow said the 3 million tons would be more significant
and could bring “some relief on diesel prices” if Russia comes up with the fuel.”
“The Treasury Department said Friday on X that it was
immediately issuing a temporary license to allow the supply of Russian diesel
to the global market.”
“The move came a month after Trump signed a sweeping
Russia sanctions law aimed at the country’s energy economy, according to the AP.”
“Congress just voted to increase the president’s authority
to punish Russia economically. Instead, he throws them a lifeline by allowing
these massive diesel buys,” Haake wrote in another post.
“The White House did not immediately respond to AP
questions about who is paying for the diesel, when it would become available or
whether November’s shipment would arrive before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.”
Trump’s comments about Zelensky
being in need of being replaced by someone willing to make a deal with Russia
are quite concerning. The Europeans and Ukraine are not happy about the
diesel buy plan. Europe has long been paying much higher diesel prices than we
do in the U.S., around $9.11 average in 2026 and about the same last year.
Trump recently demanded that
Zelensky stop bombing Russian refineries, and now he has doubled down on those
demands. Meanwhile, Ukraine is still short on missile interceptors. One reason
for the shortage is Trump’s miscalculation of Iran’s missile and drone
capabilities, which required more interceptors than predicted. As I understand
it from the Kremlin’s own statements and from the bulk of news stories, it is
Russia that refuses to make a deal. Territorial concessions of any sort are not
a deal worth making. Freezing the conflict at the line of contact is the only
deal to be made, and Russia does not want to make it despite its abysmal loss
of lives. Stories of Russian troops starving, lacking water, lacking supplies,
shooting deserters, shooting and torturing captives, and targeting civilians
have continued throughout the whole war that is nearing five years. Ukrainians
are trapped by mines and starving in Russian-held areas. The Russians are not
helping. The Ukrainians are dropping them food via drones. Ukrainian civilians
are dying in greater numbers from recent attacks directly on them while they
are short on interceptors. There has only been one aggressor and one victim in
this war, and making deals with the aggressor is not warranted. Zelensky rightly
called it “weak,” which is likely to perturb Trump. Their offensive strikes on
Russian refineries are having the intended effect of slowing Russian supply
lines and causing economic disruption.
“He better damn well stop," Trump said of
Zelensky's authorization of attacks on Russian refineries.
Congress just passed a needed heavy sanctions package against Russia, and long has had sanctions on its oil sector, which now will be undermined by the waiver. He is insisting that Ukraine enable its invader. That is cold. Ukraine is not the country that needs a new leader. In any case, none of the potential replacements for Zelensky are likely to make a deal with Russia, so Trump is just blustering. Zelensky is still popular in the country.
Addendum: October 11
Trump just announced that Russia and
Ukraine have agreed to an energy ceasefire.
That is certainly a positive development.
Maybe Ukrainians won't have to freeze so
much this winter. It makes me wonder what
Russia will bomb instead: more buses,
locomotives, apartment buildings, restaurants,
shopping malls?
References:
Trump
says Ukraine needs ‘a new leader who can make a deal’. Washington Examiner. October
10, 2026. Trump
says Ukraine needs 'a new leader who can make a deal'
Trump’s
big fix for fuel crisis unravels as experts point to basic math: 'Head
scratcher'. David Edwards. Raw Story. October 9, 2026. Trump’s
big fix for fuel crisis unravels as experts point to basic math: 'Head
scratcher'
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