Axios links Trump's diesel deal to Ukraine's refusal to halt refinery strikes

Donald Trump decided to arrange Russian diesel supplies after Volodymyr Zelensky failed to comply with about six U.S. requests to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries, an Axios source says.

According to Axios's October 10 report, envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner told the Ukrainian delegation about this during talks in the United States. The official's account explains the American president's decision but is not a joint statement by the negotiating parties.

The source said Trump wanted Ukraine to stop refinery attacks unilaterally. The American president linked those strikes to rising fuel prices in the United States.

The diesel arrangement was announced after Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin. In an earlier Axios interview, Volodymyr Zelensky described the U.S. decision to allow Russian diesel exports as unfair and dishonest.

The Kremlin separately warned of a response to Ukraine's expansion of targets inside Russia. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Russian military actions as retaliation. He was responding to a question about Zelensky's threat to intensify strikes on Russian refineries.