Jetten attacks Trump’s diesel deal as “unwise” and pointless

Prime minister Rob Jetten has urged US president Donald Trump to ditch the “diesel deal” with Russia, arguing it will harm not just Ukraine but its allies in Europe and America.

During a debate in parliament on Tuesday, Jetten called the deal “unwise” and said it was based on flawed reasoning, because it will not drive down pump prices in the US in time for next month’s midterm Congressional elections.

“The idea that buying more diesel from Russia will calm the international markets and lower prices for American consumers doesn’t work in practice,” he said. “And certainly not for the midterms, because even if those ships can leave Russia, they won’t reach the American mainland in time.”

Trump announced the deal last week on his own social media platform, Truth Social, boasting it will mean “lower prices for Americans, especially our great farmers, ranchers and truckers”.

He also suspended sanctions against Russia until April 7 and called on Ukraine to stop its missile strikes on Russian oil refineries.

“Investment in war”

The deal was attacked by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who called it an “investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged”.

But experts have said the total amount he agreed to buy from Russia is too small to have a significant impact on prices.

Jetten said: “The ‘diesel deal’ between the United States and Russia is regrettable and very unwise, because every dollar that flows into Russia’s war chest is bad news for Ukraine and all its allies, including the Europeans and the Americans themselves.

“We need to wait and see how this deal is implemented in practice, but the core is that we will continue to support Ukraine and make clear to the Americans that this deal needs to be taken off the table.”