Lavrov calls Zelenskyy’s criticism of US–Russia diesel deal a ‘direct challenge’ to Trump

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday, 15 October, that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s reaction to a diesel agreement between Moscow and Washington is a “direct challenge” to US President Donald Trump, Anadolu Agency reported from remarks after the CICA summit in Baku.

Lavrov’s claims

• Lavrov said Russia supported the initiative announced by Trump last week and accused Zelenskyy of continuing to request weapons to attack Russia’s energy infrastructure.
• “This is a direct — and, moreover, crude — challenge to President Trump, who actively supported this deal and has spoken about it publicly on more than one occasion,” Lavrov said, according to Anadolu.
• He also claimed Zelenskyy was not prepared to “engage in any constructive actions that would be truly fair and based on equality,” and alleged “unacceptable conditions” for holding elections in Ukraine.

Kyiv’s stated position

• Zelenskyy has said he felt betrayed by Trump over Washington’s diesel supply deal with Russia that is meant to stabilise global oil prices, Anadolu noted.
• Separately, Ukrainian officials have argued that Russia never confirmed a durable energy ceasefire and that Moscow continued strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure — context Kyiv cites for resuming pressure on Russian energy sites (those battlefield developments were reported earlier this week).

Peace-plan talk

• On media reports of a joint US–Europe “peace plan,” Lavrov said Russia has received no official proposals and that, “based on the leaks,” he sees no ideas for a long-term sustainable peace.
• The Kremlin earlier this week called much of the media noise around peace proposals “fabrication,” Anadolu recalled.