Trump strikes diesel deal with Putin, then says Ukraine needs a new president — and declares a ceasefire Kyiv never agreed to

President Donald Trump announced Friday that Vladimir Putin had agreed to supply Russian diesel to world markets — 300,000 tons immediately, with more to follow — alongside a temporary U.S. easing of sanctions on Russian diesel.

After Ukraine's president attacked the deal as a gift that would fund Moscow's war effort, Trump hit back Saturday, saying the Ukrainian leader had "lost 30 per cent of your country," blaming him for high U.S. diesel prices and suggesting Ukraine should get a new leader. Those figures are Trump's assertions: the Associated Press has noted independent estimates put Russian-controlled territory at roughly 20 per cent, and there is no reliable public estimate of Ukrainian deaths to match Trump's claims.

European allies reacted with dismay. Sweden's prime minister regretted the deal, the EU moved on a new sanctions package with 1,600 listings, and even some U.S. Republicans called it a moral failure. Poland's foreign minister questioned whether Russia even had diesel to spare, citing Ukrainian strikes on Russian refining capacity.

On Sunday, Trump posted that an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine was in effect immediately, claiming both sides had agreed. The Ukrainian president said the announcement was "news to me," asked Washington to explain when it started and what Moscow had committed to, and said Ukraine would observe it if Russia did. Moscow had not publicly confirmed any agreement.

Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, the Ukrainian president repeated that position — while reporting that Russian forces had struck power plants in Kyiv and Kharkiv on Sunday and that Shahed drones had hit energy infrastructure through the day, according to Ukrainian officials. Markets initially rose on the ceasefire news, then oil climbed back up Monday as traders grew sceptical.

For Canada, the rupture matters twice over. Ottawa's Russia sanctions regime now directly contradicts its closest ally's policy, and the country's 1.4-million-strong Ukrainian-Canadian community is watching closely. The diesel deal also feeds straight into the fuel-price story: whether it lowers prices at Canadian pumps or collapses into another failed announcement will shape household costs heading into winter.