Details of the Trump-Putin oil deal, Axios: Kyiv rejected Washington’s requests over Russian refineries

Axios has revealed new details about the behind-the-scenes discussions on the deal between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, which aims to increase Russian oil exports to the United States and other global markets.

According to the report, the US president’s decision was a direct consequence of Volodymyr Zelensky’s refusal to halt Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries in Russia.

A US official with direct knowledge of the talks said Trump decided to move forward with the deal after Kyiv ignored around six requests from Washington to stop strikes on Russian oil processing facilities.

Trump himself announced the deal, which includes shipments of more than 300,000 tonnes of Russian oil and the easing of some US sanctions on Moscow’s energy exports. The announcement drew strong criticism from Zelensky, who called it “unfair” and “dishonest,” stressing that it gives Russia economic breathing room to continue the war.

According to the US official who spoke to Axios, Ukraine’s insistence on striking Russian refineries has caused frustration in the White House. The official added that Zelensky “is misreading the situation,” as the continued attacks are damaging the relationship he had built with Trump over recent months.

Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure have been particularly effective, reducing Russia’s oil processing capacity and causing strains in its domestic fuel market. Moscow responded by restricting oil exports, adding pressure to the international market, which is already facing difficulties because of the conflict in Iran.

The impact of these developments on US fuel prices appears to have been a key factor in Trump’s decision. Axios reports that the US president had asked Kyiv to unilaterally halt attacks on Russian refineries because he believed they were contributing to higher prices for American consumers.

Zelensky had presented a proposal to Trump and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, offering a reciprocal agreement on energy infrastructure. Under the proposal, Ukraine would stop attacking Russian refineries if Russia halted strikes on Ukrainian power plants.

However, Trump rejected the offer. The US official explained that the president did not view the two categories of attacks as equivalent and wanted Kyiv to halt its strikes without tying them to any similar commitment from Moscow.

Tensions peaked during Friday’s talks in Miami. At the meeting, which lasted around eight hours, Witkoff and Kushner informed the Ukrainian delegation that Donald Trump would speak with Vladimir Putin and intended to ease sanctions on Russian diesel exports.

Axios writes that the US negotiators explained to the Ukrainian representatives that the decision had been made after Kyiv failed to respond to Washington’s repeated calls to end the attacks on refineries.

A Ukrainian official claimed that, during the discussions, a warning had been given that Trump might end intelligence sharing with Ukraine if its tactics did not change. However, the US side denied making such a threat.

According to the US official, Witkoff and Kushner reminded Kyiv that the United States supplies Ukraine with weapons and intelligence. They argued that, as part of this cooperation, Ukraine should not take actions that increase the burden on American consumers. As the same source put it, attacks on refineries “hurt Russia, but they also hurt the United States.”

The oil dispute emerged as the US envoys began a new round of talks with Ukrainian and European officials on a possible agreement to end the war. The discussions in Miami focused on the security guarantees that the United States, Europe and NATO could offer Ukraine as part of a future agreement.

The parties also discussed new proposals on territorial issues and a broader postwar plan, including funding for reconstruction, rebuilding the Ukrainian Armed Forces and ways to address the budget deficit caused by the war.

Also on the table were a roadmap for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, its future relationship with NATO and the possibility of establishing a new security framework between Europe and Russia. Witkoff and Kushner also presented potential energy deals with Russia, which Washington believes could help lower international energy prices and serve as an incentive for Moscow to make concessions in peace negotiations.

Despite the diesel deal, Vladimir Putin did not commit to an immediate resumption of negotiations with Ukraine. During a roughly 90-minute phone call with Trump, the Russian president avoided giving a concrete answer about returning to the negotiating table.

His foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, argued that recent Ukrainian attacks on Moscow and other Russian cities during Russia’s parliamentary elections “undermined the possibility of an immediate resumption of the negotiating process.” According to Ushakov, Putin said Moscow “will consider when negotiations can resume.”

Despite the new tensions between Washington and Kyiv, Witkoff and Kushner are considering traveling to Moscow and Kyiv next week to continue discussions on the new US plan. However, the Russian oil deal opens a new front in the already difficult negotiations. Ukraine believes that easing energy sanctions strengthens Russia economically, while the Trump administration prioritizes curbing US fuel prices and seeks to use energy deals as a bargaining tool with Moscow.