Is Trump sacrificing Ukraine for cheaper diesel?

America’s pain at the pump could have major implications for the future of the war in Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump wants to bring down fuel prices for Americans. One way he’s trying to do it is by reopening the door to Russian energy, reversing a policy designed to deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin of money for his war in Ukraine.

The shift comes as relations between Trump and Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky have deteriorated dramatically. Trump has blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries for contributing to the global diesel shortage, while Ukraine says those refineries are a crucial source of revenue for Russia’s war machine.

So is American angst about fuel prices changing Trump’s approach to the war? And would importing Russian diesel even make a meaningful difference to US prices?

The Global Story’s Tristan Redman speaks to BBC Verify’s Ben Chu about the fuel crisis drawing together Trump, Putin, Zelensky and the American midterm elections.

Producers: Aron Keller, Jo Casserly and Cat Farnsworth

Mix: Travis Evans

Executive producer: Martine Powers

Senior news editor: China Collins

Photo: President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a press conference in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque