Trump lashes out at fury over Putin diesel deal and says 'the EU paid Russia $250 billion for energy - Always, America first'

Donald Trump has lashed out at the EU over its '$250billion energy payment' to Russia – after he was lambasted for his own multi-million pound deal with the Kremlin.

The President hit back at critics and declared 'America first' following his controversial agreement with Putin last week.

It is understood the US Treasury is suspending sanctions on exports until April 7 to release 300,000 tons of diesel immediately 'to the American and global marketplace'.

The shipment will be followed by 500,000 tons in November and a further one million after that.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Mr Trump of giving Russia a gift that amounts to 'an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged' – a statement backed by the country's allies.

But writing on Truth Social on Monday, Mr Trump suggested the EU was applying double standards in its own trade policies.

He said: 'The European Union paid Russia 250 Billion Dollars for Energy, and the Fake News Media doesn’t want to get near that story. I made the right choice for the American People - ALWAYS, AMERICA FIRST! President DONALD J. TRUMP.'

Pricing models by a campaign group suggest the EU has so far spent almost €240billion - or $270billion - on Russian coal, oil and gas since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.

Last week the UK government insisted it would continue 'to maintain pressure on Russia through the toughest sanctions regime ever imposed by the UK, increasing the cost of Putin's aggression and supporting efforts to secure a just and lasting peace'.

According to data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, Belgium sourced 100 per cent of its liquid natural gas from Russia in July this year.

Hungary was the EU's largest buyer – importing €486million worth of Russian fossil fuels that month while Slovakia ranked second at €299million, followed by Belgium and France.

Mr Trump's deal with Putin comes amid backlash from voters over his war with Iran, which has helped diesel prices soar from $3.68 per gallon a year ago to $6.28 by Friday.

He reportedly decided to seal the agreement with the Russian dictator after Mr Zelensky did not agree to his requests to stop strikes on oil infrastructure.

A US official said: 'Zelenskyy is misreading the room. By continuing to hit refineries, he is eroding the goodwill that he has built with Trump over the last six months.'

Ukraine's success at targeting the industry in Russia has caused a crisis for Putin but the nation does still have surplus diesel it can spare.

Twisting the knife, Putin's foreign affairs aide Yury Ushakov said the one-and-a-half-hour call with Mr Trump was so friendly 'neither side wanted to hang up first'.

Mr Trump said he was 'ready to continue communicating with Vladimir Putin this evening, through the night, and into the next day'.

Mr Zelensky hit back after admitting being blindsided by the US suspending sanctions to buy Russian diesel.

Last week Mr Trump claimed an 'energy ceasefire' had been agreed between Russia and Ukraine.

The deal would mean both sides stop attacking each other's energy infrastructure, effectively helping Mr Trump's fuel agreement.

However, the deal was lambasted by former UK Prime Minister and Energy Secretary Boris Johnson.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, he said: 'The double standards are outrageous.

'Why should Putin be allowed to destroy Ukrainian energy infrastructure – as well as murdering countless civilians – if the Ukrainians are forbidden from responding?

'I doubt that Putin has the diesel to ship to the US but if he tries to go via the English Channel, I hope it is intercepted by the Royal Navy.'

He added: 'The Ukrainians are valiantly trying to protect themselves and their families from threats of bombardment.

'We should be helping them and the best way to get this over and get the price of fuel down is to make Putin see sense.

'It's ridiculous to try to appease Putin and it won't make a bean of difference to the price of fuel.'