Ukraine hit by deadly Russian strikes as ‘thanks’ for Trump diesel deal, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian president says money from fuel sales will intensify war as European leaders reiterate support for Kyiv

Russia launched deadly strikes on civilians in Ukraine as “thanks” for a deal cut by Donald Trump with Vladimir Putin to buy large quantities of Russian diesel, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, accusing Washington of helping fund Moscow’s war.

The deal, which appeared to blind side Kyiv as it was announced while Ukrainian negotiators were in Miami for peace talks, was described by Zelenskyy as a “gift” to Russia’s president.

That prediction was realised hours later, when Ukrainian officials announced that a barrage of Russian strikes on the country’s south-east early on Saturday had killed 15 people, including three children.

“Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential buildings in Zaporizhzhia,” Zelenskyy said on social media on Saturday.

There were also “large-scale power outages” in the capital, Kyiv, the country’s largest private energy provider said.

In stark contrast to Zelenskyy’s open frustration with Trump, a Kremlin readout of Friday’s call between the US president and Putin was glowing, with the Russian ⁠news agency Interfax ⁠quoting ​an aide as saying it was “very substantive and friendly”.

The diesel deal disrupts four years of western financial pressure on Moscow and leaves Kyiv’s allies in Europe and Nato scrambling to adapt their sanctions plan. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said the diesel deal “provides Moscow with more revenues to wage war”.

Major European governments have attempted to balance their diplomatic and trade relationships with a mercurial Trump and their support for Ukraine.

The German government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said Berlin “remains committed to the sanctions imposed on Russia and is working with its European partners on further sanctions”, adding that support for Ukraine “remains unwavering”.

Zelenskyy said on Saturday that Russia “must feel its losses” and has promised to respond. In the Russian-occupied ‌Luhansk ‌region, Ukrainian attacks in the past 24 hours had killed four ⁠civilians and wounded ⁠five, the region’s ‌Russian-installed governor, Leonid Pasechnik, said ​on Saturday.

Russia’s fuel production has become a key point of contention between Zelenskyy and Trump, who has attempted to stop Ukraine from bombing Russian refineries, which he says exacerbates a global diesel shortage. The Ukrainian leader has rejected such requests unless Russia stops attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.