Zelenskyy Rejects Trump-Russia Deal as Ex-NATO Chief Warns

Former NATO commander Philip Breedlove warned Sunday that President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker a diesel agreement with Russia could give Vladimir Putin additional revenue to finance the war in Ukraine, while allowing Moscow to prolong negotiations it may have no intention of honoring.

Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove, who previously served as NATO’s supreme allied commander Europe and led U.S. European Command, told News Media that Washington could also weaken Ukraine’s war effort by reaching an agreement with what he described as “the enemy.”

“And so we are cutting a deal with the enemy,” Breedlove said. He warned that “all of this money will go into fueling Mr. Putin’s continued attacks in Ukraine.”

The Russian government announced Saturday that it had immediately eased its ban on diesel exports, following a new agreement between Putin and Trump for Russia to supply diesel to U.S. and international markets, Reuters reported.

As News Media previously reported, Trump’s proposal calls for Russia to release 300,000 tonnes of diesel “to the American and global marketplace,” followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and an additional 1 million tonnes later.

The diesel arrangement came before Trump’s announcement Sunday of what he called an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine. Trump said both countries had agreed to stop attacks on energy infrastructure.

“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, however, that Kyiv had not received confirmation of a finalized ceasefire agreement. He indicated that Ukraine was prepared to stop striking Russian energy facilities if Moscow did the same, while accusing Putin of repeatedly rejecting peace initiatives and continuing attacks on Ukraine’s energy network.

“Ukraine has proposed many de-escalatory steps. Putin had one answer to all of them – ‘nyet,’” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

“We do hope that he will finally say something to America, Ukraine, and the entire world that will lead to a real and dignified peace,” he added.

Zelenskyy said Russian forces had launched more than 200 attacks against Ukraine’s electricity generation and transmission facilities during the previous week, as well as 17 strikes on gas and oil infrastructure.

According to Zelenskyy, those attacks killed more than 150 people and injured more than 700 over the same period.

Trump’s announcement of an “energy ceasefire” came after tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries. Ukraine has said strikes on the facilities are intended to reduce the energy revenue Moscow uses to support its military campaign.

Breedlove said Russia and Ukraine are fighting toward fundamentally different objectives. He accused Moscow of targeting Ukrainian civilians and vital infrastructure, while describing Kyiv’s attacks on Russian energy sites as an attempt to cut off the revenue helping sustain Putin’s war.

“Russia is carrying on a campaign of what we call counter value. In other words, Russia is attacking the Ukrainian people and trying to force their society to separate themselves from their president, President Zelenskyy,” Breedlove said.

He also predicted that the United States would pressure Zelenskyy to halt attacks on Russia’s oil industry, despite Kyiv’s view that those operations are strategically important.

“What I expect will happen is the United States will force or try to force Zelenskyy to stop bombing the petrochemical business in Russia,” he said.

Trump has vehemently criticized Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, arguing that they are disrupting global diesel supplies and driving up costs for American farmers and ranchers.

Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the administration’s efforts to increase diesel supplies.

“We’re going to do it with all the legal authorities we have,” Bessent said Sunday on Fox News. “This is good for the American people, bringing these diesel prices down,” he said of the new deal.

Separately, appearing on ABC News’ “This Week,” Zelenskyy offered to organize Ukrainian elections if Putin agreed to a reciprocal 60-day ceasefire, although holding a vote would face legal and logistical obstacles under Ukraine’s martial law.

Breedlove also expressed deep skepticism that Putin would honor any such ceasefire, citing what he described as a pattern of Russian attacks following negotiations with Trump. “Russia has never kept a promise to this president in this war,” Breedlove said.

“He’s never changed his expectations, and he’s never delivered on his promises. Three out of four of the big cases, the very next day or that same night after the president and Mr. Putin talked, Mr. Putin launched huge attacks in Ukraine,” Breedlove continued.

Breedlove also called for a tougher U.S. response.

“We now need an administration that leads from power. We say all the time, ‘strength through power,’ but when it comes to Russia, our demonstrated position is continued conflict through weakness,” Breedlove warned.

“He started this war. This war is to benefit Russia, and this war is to keep Mr. Putin in power. And our administration needs to tell him to stop.”