(LONDON) – A controversial deal allowing the United States to import Russian diesel fuel has been condemned as “the most abhorrent thing” seen since Donald Trump returned to power, with critics warning it undermines sanctions and hands Moscow a strategic victory.
Sir Bill Browder, the billionaire financier turned anti-Kremlin activist, told Times Radio the arrangement represented a “massive political gift” to the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and would undermine Ukraine’s most effective military leverage.
The deal, announced this week, would see Washington import Russian diesel despite sanctions imposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Browder said the volumes involved were negligible, amounting to roughly 14 to 15 hours of monthly US demand, describing it as “a drop in the ocean.”
“The amounts are diminishing compared to what the United States actually needs,” he said. “If it were to happen, I don’t think it’s going to happen. But what’s really ugly about it is the policy implications.”
Browder warned that the deal would give Trump grounds to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to halt drone strikes on Russian oil refineries, which have destroyed approximately one third of Russia’s refining capacity.
“President Trump will say to President Zelenskyy, ‘You are now bombing oil refineries that are helping us. You’re hurting American interests,'” Browder said. “And he will then have an argument, probably persuasive, to stop bombing Russian oil refineries. That’s been one of the huge bits of leverage that Ukraine has.”
He noted that Russia bombs Ukrainian civilians daily, and striking refineries has been Kyiv’s primary means of applying pressure on Moscow to halt attacks.
The deal also raises significant legal questions, coming just three weeks after Trump signed legislation imposing sanctions on any country purchasing Russian oil and gas. Browder said Trump was now “abrogating this new sanctions bill,” potentially exceeding his legal authority.
“Each gallon or each litre of diesel that he does get out is actually giving him hard currency, and that helps fuel the war,” Browder said, estimating the deal could be worth billions of dollars annually if sustained.
Diesel prices fell three to four percent on the announcement but Browder predicted they would “go right back up” as the deal would not meaningfully alter supply dynamics.
He suggested Trump’s motivations extended beyond economic concerns, pointing to recent reports that Jared Kushner discussed reopening the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline under American ownership with Putin on 5th September 2025, and that a consortium including Kushner could acquire sanctioned Russian assets cheaply.
“What we are seeing here are very corrupt deals between Putin and the Trump family,” Browder said. “Trump is doing Putin a favour because he wants some financial favours back.”
The activist also linked the deal to broader geopolitical tensions, including the US strike on Iran and concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, which could spike oil prices at a politically inconvenient time.
“There is this expression: they’re not playing chess, they’re playing checkers,” Browder said. “But in this particular case, he’s not even playing checkers. Any reasonable person could foresee that happening.”
He also criticised Trump’s decision to sanction the International Criminal Court, which has indicted Putin, following the announcement that Trump did not win the Nobel Peace Prize.
“You just can’t make this stuff up,” Browder said.
President Zelenskyy has already responded to the deal, calling it “a gift to Putin.”
Be First to Comment