Trump and Putin’s Agreement on Russian Diesel
(Translated)
Al-Rayah Newspaper - Issue 622 - 21/10/2026
By: Ustadh Asaad Mansour

On 9/10/2026, U.S. President Trump announced that he had reached an agreement with his Russian counterpart Putin, allowing Moscow to immediately offer diesel on global markets, and that “Diesel Prices for Americans and, indeed, the World, will be COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!.” Trump stated: “I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter.

Additionally, based on the condition of their Diesel Refineries, Russia will then deliver, within a short period of time, 3,000,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel.” On 17 October 2026, Trump signed an executive order that suspends the sanctions imposed on Russia, justifying it with national interests. The U.S. Treasury Department announced the suspension of sanctions on Russian diesel exports under a general license effective until April 2027.

Trump defended his decision in the face of criticism from his own Republican Party, emphasizing that he is working to lower high fuel prices that threaten the party’s performance in the midterm elections on the upcoming November 3rd. Fuel costs have risen since he launched his aggression against Iran on 28 February 2026. However, he misrepresents the facts and claims that the cause of the fuel crisis is Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil facilities. He said: “I made the right choice for the American People — ALWAYS, AMERICA FIRST!”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated, “Any easing of sanctions imposed on Russia serves its interests and will lead to a prolongation of the war,” and he considered the deal a gift to Putin and a clear sign of weakness. Following his objection, Trump said, ““I think it’s ⁠⁠time for Ukraine to get a new president.” Zelenskyy then showed his weakness by announcing his “readiness for new elections if Russia agrees to a 60-day ceasefire.”

America is playing with Zelenskyy, and he knows that the U.S. helped him come to power in 2019. It encouraged him to go to war, deluding him that it would support him in ending the rebellion backed by Russia in eastern Ukraine. Russia responded by occupying the region in 2022. America had announced that Russia would occupy it before it actually did. Now it is demanding that he recognize it as Russia’s, and when he objected, it began calling for his resignation. This is the fate of those who trust America, just as happened to those who trusted it in the lands of Muslims, where it abandons them when it sees its own interest and replaces them with other agents.

As for Europe’s stance towards this agreement: The President of the European Commission, von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Costa, stated in a meeting in Brussels on 16 September 2026 that “the European Union will continue to support Ukraine and will not lift sanctions on Russia.” They described the agreement as “fraught with risk, dangerous, and misleading.” Zelenskyy demanded “around 70 billion euros from them for defense, weapons, and resilience.” The President of France, Macron, said, “The agreement has negative consequences.” So Europe realizes that this agreement is directed against it; Europe lost when it imposed sanctions on Russia—sanctions that are a double-edged sword—as Europe lost the cheap oil and gas derivatives that used to come from there. And America has started selling them to Europe at multiplied prices. It appears that America will import these derivatives from Russia and then sell them to Europe at exorbitant prices.

This agreement deepened the rift between the Western states and created disagreements among them. Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen stated, “I believe the Western alliance is in a weaker position than it was a few days ago.” Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said, “The relationship with America is essential to support Ukraine; we depend on it.” However, Bulgaria, due to its interests and ties, supported the agreement, contradicting the European stance. Its president, Radev declared, “We welcome any step that contributes to lowering fuel prices and ensures our competitiveness.”

America declares through its president in clear terms that its interests take precedence over those of its allies, showing no concern for them, as utilitarianism is the criterion of its actions, being a capitalist state. There is no difference between the Democratic administration under Biden, which ignited the war in Ukraine by pushing it to provoke Russia until it invaded, and the Republican administration under Trump, which plays with Ukraine to win over Russia and its oil wealth and minerals, and to drive a wedge between Russia and Europe and China. Europe, also being capitalist, thinks only of its own interests and sees the danger of Russia at its doorstep; otherwise, it would have treated Ukraine as America does.

Putin said, “Russia is ready to supply the American and global markets with oil and petroleum products. The supply of Russian diesel will have a positive impact on the global economy,” and that he agreed with Trump to continue their personal discussions and cooperation between the two administrations, intelligence agencies, and government institutions. It appears that Trump has managed to deceive Putin, just as Obama deceived him over Syria.

Russia will not break free from its political naivety. It could have refrained from selling diesel to America and left the U.S. to suffer, thereby exposing it to the world and causing it to falter in its wars in the Middle East. This would have strengthened Russia’s position against America and proven that it is an influential international player with global stature and respect. However, Russia prioritized its immediate interests, revealing its weakness and its need for money and the lifting of sanctions, even if only temporarily. Russia deludes itself into thinking that America supports it, when America is the one that ignited this war. Russia is now in a predicament: it cannot achieve victory despite four and a half years having passed, as it has failed to establish full control over the Donbas region, occupying only about 80% of it and facing fierce resistance there. Ukraine is now striking deep into Russian territory, hitting its capital Moscow, its major cities, and its vital and military installations.

Yet Russia, a major power, has been unable to overcome a small state like Ukraine, even though it had help from America and Europe. This confirms the reality that Russia does not emerge victorious in its foreign wars. Perhaps its own flames will scorch its head if Europe enters the war directly. Germany and France, with support from Britain, are preparing for war. They have laid out 5 to 10-year strategies for arming, training, and conscripting troops in preparation for fighting on the Ukrainian front, which might be joined by a front in Poland and the Baltic states. It has become an existential issue for Putin, as it will decide his fate, and for Russia—a state composed of federal entities that would quickly secede if the regime were to fall, just as happened with the federal Soviet Union.

Thus Russia has missed a golden opportunity to return as an influential global power, just as it squandered its opportunity in 2015 when America pushed it to intervene in Syria to preserve its agent Bashar al-Assad until it could find a replacement. Had Russia been rational, it would not have intervened and would have let America and its agents fall. The same applies in Libya and West Africa, so its role has become that of a servant to America in exchange for achieving immediate interests, without thinking about dislodging America from its position as the world’s leading state—the very power that schemes against Russia and entangles it in wars. And although we do not want America to remain a major power, nor do we want Russia to become a second global power—for both are evil—we speak politically and with an understanding of politics so that we know how to stand against both when we establish the Khilafah Rashidah (rightly-guided Caliphate) state soon, by the Permission of Allah (swt).