Already doing a lot: US sets tough condition for Ukraine over strikes on Russia
Photo: Trump's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff (RBC-Ukraine)
Washington believes it is already doing enough for Ukraine and has no intention of trading that support for an end to Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, The New York Times reports.
According to the outlet, on Friday, senior Ukrainian and European officials met with US President Donald Trump's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at Witkoff's exclusive Shell Bay golf club. The Americans unexpectedly announced that the US was suspending sanctions on Russian diesel fuel. They also conveyed Trump's strong request for Ukraine to stop attacking Russian oil refineries.
One Ukrainian official asked what Ukraine would receive in return. According to three people familiar with the meeting, the Americans replied that the US was already doing a lot for Ukraine and had no intention of trading that support for an end to the attacks on oil refineries. They then mentioned intelligence assistance, which they consider extremely important for Ukraine in the war.
Two people familiar with the discussions said that some participants in the room interpreted this as an implicit threat. A US official, speaking anonymously, denied any suggestion that Washington would withdraw such support. However, he added that Trump was so angry with Ukraine that it was difficult to say what he would do.
What preceded the discussion
The Ukrainian and European delegations had arrived to discuss updated proposals for ending the war ahead of Witkoff and Kushner's next trip to Russia. The meeting lasted about six hours. Most of the discussions focused on what would be needed for future peace talks, including Ukraine's accession to the European Union and control over territory.
According to one participant, Witkoff left the room to join a conversation between Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. In addition to Ukraine's three-member negotiating team, the meeting was attended by national security advisers to the leaders of the UK, Germany and France, as well as senior EU and NATO officials.
The dispute has now escalated into the biggest crisis between Washington and Kyiv since the confrontation with the Ukrainian president in the Oval Office last year, the outlet notes. According to the report, the future of US support for Ukraine is once again in question.
Witkoff and Kushner postponed their trip to Russia until Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy improves relations with Trump, two people familiar with the negotiations said.
During the meeting in Miami, Witkoff and Kushner told Ukrainian officials that the diesel deal could bring Moscow back to peace negotiations.
According to Reuters, they also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was not yet ready for such talks.
As RBC-Ukraine reported, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia could increase diesel exports to 3–3.5 million tons per month by the end of the year.
According to him, additional supplies have already driven global diesel fuel prices down by approximately 5–6%.
