Donald Trump's deal to supply Russian diesel has complicated the possibility of a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Czech President Petr Pavel said in an interview with the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which includes Politico.
He said the lifting of sanctions on Russian diesel fuel had changed the situation after coordinated US and European restrictions on Russian oil, oligarchs and other industries had put Moscow “in a difficult position“.
“Now it will be much more difficult. Russia is using this momentum to escape pressure, and this is a kind of moral charge for it“, Pavel said.
Donald Trump announced earlier in October that Russia would deliver hundreds of thousands of tons of diesel fuel to the United States. The White House presented the deal as an attempt to secure large quantities of fuel for the world market and reduce prices.
Pavel: Ukraine is a victim of the conflict
The Czech president defended Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been the subject of sharp criticism from the American president.
„I believe that President Zelensky and all of Ukraine are victims of the conflict. So I am probably the last one to accuse Ukraine of being guilty of the conflict. It is not Ukraine's fault that Russia attacked Ukraine. "It is not Ukraine that threatens Russia," said Petr Pavel.He added that Trump has demonstrated a more open approach to Russia than any European leader. According to Pavel, the American president may be attracted to Vladimir Putin to some extent as an "authoritative leader," but this does not mean that the United States should ignore the interests of Europe.
"A mistake," not a betrayal
Pavel did not characterize Washington's actions as a betrayal of Ukraine and its European partners. However, he said the deal was a mistake because it gives Russia hope to ignore Europe and Ukraine and focus on relations with the United States and possibly China.
“This is in clear contradiction with our interests in Europe“, said the Czech president.Peter Pavel did not rule out European countries buying Russian oil again in the future, but stressed that this would take time. According to him, regular business relations with Moscow would be possible if Russia began to respect the sovereignty and borders of other countries.
“But Russia has not yet reached that level“, summed up the Czech president.
Sources: news.bg