Flaky US President Does A U-Turn, Again
Donald Trump’s reported Russian diesel deal has drawn criticism over its ability to reduce US fuel prices before the November midterm elections. The editorial questions the limited supply, highlights the reversal of restrictions on Russian oil imports and examines the diplomatic implications for Ukraine, the European Union and Washington’s relations with Moscow.
US President Donald Trump | File Pic
The man in Washington, who has touted his diesel import deal with Moscow as a panacea for soaring energy prices, is, quite frankly, pulling a fast one on millions of American consumers and, crucially, voters in the November Congressional midterm elections. Never mind that the person in question has already earned notoriety for an impeachment (subsequently acquitted) over the sabotage of aid to Ukraine in 2019.
Dubious Claims About Diesel Supplies
One particularly dubious claim in the Russian oil deal, that the immediate release of 300,000 tonnes of diesel—which experts say won’t even cover a day’s domestic needs—will bring costs crashing down, would have been ordinarily dismissed as laughable. Except that the trickster in this instance is the nation’s President, Donald Trump, himself.
His utter disregard for facts and evidence has allowed him to peddle falsehoods concerning America’s trade deficit with large export-driven economies, such as China and Germany.
The President has remained impervious to findings, among others, by the US Energy Information Agency (EIA) that average diesel and petrol prices have risen far more on account of the US-Israel war against Iran. The price of diesel has risen by 78 per cent a gallon, according to the EIA, since the conflict began.
The remaining supply of 1.5 million tonnes of oil from last week’s deal cannot even reach American shores before the polling date. That apart, the Russian deputy prime minister’s recent observation that Moscow could in fact treble its supplies to the global markets by the year-end only underscores the meagre quantities involved in the Trump deal.
Legislation Overridden By The Deal
President Trump has accomplished this act of deceit of American citizens and betrayal of the Ukrainian people by simply trampling upon two pieces of legislation.
The first, enacted by his predecessor Joe Biden in 2022, was voted overwhelmingly by the House of Representatives and unanimously by the Senate.
The law banned imports of Russian oil products, viewed as fuelling President Putin’s military assault, until a complete troop withdrawal from Ukraine and approval by Congress.
The second measure was signed into law by President Trump only last month and aims to slap tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil. The move has, in effect, been superseded by the diesel deal, providing comic relief to countries such as India.
Diplomatic Challenges For The EU
A coordinated response to Washington’s diesel deal is a particularly delicate matter for the European Union (EU), given the bloc’s long-standing dependence on Russian energy before the war in Ukraine and its continued reliance on Russian natural gas that is not fully covered by international sanctions.
In the diplomatic arena, the EU leaders have had to tread cautiously as they seek to extend defence cooperation and financial support to Ukraine, without incurring the wrath of Moscow-leaning capitals within the bloc and, crucially, not alienating their main partner, Washington, in the western military alliance.
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