Russia rejects the link between diesel exports to the US and peace negotiations in Ukraine

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the existence of a direct link between the agreement on Russian diesel exports and the Donald Trump administration’s efforts to revive negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

He made the statement in response to a Reuters article based on sources, according to which emissaries of the U.S. president told Ukrainian officials on Friday that allowing diesel exports from Russia was part of a strategy to bring Moscow back to the negotiating table.

“I see no direct link here,” Peskov said during his daily press briefing. He argued that the agreement represents an area of cooperation beneficial to Russia and the United States and serves the interests of global energy markets.

Peskov also criticized European reactions to the diesel agreement, calling them “cynical.” The Russian official argued that some European states continue to purchase oil and liquefied natural gas from Russia.

Meanwhile, negotiations to end the war have reached an impasse. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Thursday that the situation had reached a dangerous point, but said Washington would continue seeking solutions to stop the fighting.

Russia still supplies reduced quantities of oil to Slovakia and Hungary through the Druzhba pipeline, which crosses Ukraine and was built during the Soviet period. Peskov said Moscow would continue its exports to global markets.