# Donald Trump aligns with Vladimir Putin yet again, leaving Ukraine – and US relations with Europe – under pressure

- Link: https://www.widthness.com/donald-trump-aligns-with-vladimir-putin-yet-again-leaving-ukraine-and-us-relations-with-europe-under-pressure/
- Published: 2026-10-13T09:00:00-05:00
- Author: Curated by Theresa Wysocki

Photo: President Donald Trump greets Russian president Vladimir Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, Friday, August 15, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok) Attribution: “P20250815DT-0739” by The White House via Flickr. United States Government Work. Article by Stefan Wolff. The Conversation – October 12, 2026. The deal struck by Donald Trump with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on October 9 to allow Russia to sell millions of tonnes of diesel is a major departure from US policy and runs counter to Ukrainian and European interests. It also directly contradicts a law signed by the US president in September to authorise fresh US sanctions and tariffs on nations that import Russian oil and gas. The timing of this deal was unfortunate. A senior Ukrainian and European delegation were in Miami for talks with Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. On the table were apparently new US proposals which included a pre-winter de-escalation in the four-and-a-half-year war. […] Click here to view the original article at www.theconversation.com Related articles: Russian State TV Celebrates Trump’s Russia Oil Plan: ‘Always Liked Trump’ – Newsweek Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says it’s “increasingly evident that Russia is unwilling to accept an energy ceasefire” – CBS News Trump stands by Russia diesel plan despite backlash: ‘I made the right choice’ – ABC News Trump’s ‘certainly traitorous’ deal could fund two of America’s enemies at once: expert – Raw Story