Trump makes deal to buy Russian oil. Will it at least come with a ceasefire?

I was in Ukraine the day the US launched strikes on Iran. The concern in Kyiv was immediate: Higher oil prices would mean more money for Russia.

I didn’t expect Washington to help Moscow cash in.

President Trump announced Friday that he had reached a deal with Vladimir Putin for Russia to supply hundreds of thousands of tons of diesel to the American and global markets, with millions more to follow.

Treasury announced a temporary license allowing Russian diesel onto the global market. Who will buy it, how much they will pay and whether American companies will be among the purchasers remain unclear.

But they ain’t giving it away for free.

Trump called his conversation with Putin “highly successful.” His announcement identified no concessions Moscow would make in its war against Ukraine in exchange.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a different assessment.

“Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world,” he said in a statement. “Russia will ‘repay’ the diesel with further terror and perfidy.”

Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products, he warned, “is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged.”

To that end, Trump also included a condition worth watching.

“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,” Trump wrote.

Ukraine has targeted those refineries to squeeze the energy revenues helping finance Russia’s war. Now Trump is counting on their output to help lower American fuel prices.

That creates a real risk: will the Trump administration pressure Kyiv to stop hitting them so Moscow can keep the diesel flowing?

Zelensky made clear that Ukraine is willing to stop those attacks — if Russia stops attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

“Ukraine will not set Russian oil refineries on fire if Russia does not destroy our energy infrastructure,” he said.

He described Ukraine’s strikes as a response to Russia’s years-long campaign against its energy sector and said the American negotiating team already knows Kyiv’s position.

“This is the kind of agreement we are proposing to America, and we believe the United States has enough power to achieve such a compromise.”

That distinction matters. Ukraine is offering a reciprocal halt to attacks. Trump announced permission for Russia to sell fuel without publicly tying it to one.

Trump’s post hasn’t answered that. But it gives the administration a reason to want those refineries operating.

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With the midterm elections less than a month away, Trump made his priority clear: cheaper diesel for American farmers, ranchers and truckers — while still maintaining his own war on Iran that drove up the price of gas in the first place.

“Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority. This is a very big and important announcement. Additionally, it must be understood, that Iran will not have a Nuclear Weapon! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he continued.

It does come as Ukrainian officials meet with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner — where they are reportedly working on an energy ceasefire.

If that comes to fruition, it could come as welcome relief to Ukrainian civilians facing yet another harsh winter around the corner.

But the odds of Russia holding to any ceasefire aren’t high. Perhaps — just maybe — this kind of deal could get them to agree to it.

But no such condition appears in Trump’s announcement.

For now, he has told us what Russia will supply — and what he hopes Americans will gain — peace be damned.