UK Breaks With Washington Over Trump-Putin Diesel Deal as Defence Secretary Warns on Russia

The United Kingdom has publicly distanced itself from a controversial energy agreement between the United States and Russia, with Defence Secretary Wes Streeting stating that Britain does not support the deal that would see Washington purchase millions of tonnes of diesel from Moscow.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House, Streeting explained that the agreement had been reached in the context of the US president facing elections in November and at a time when politicians around the world are under mounting pressure to ease the cost of living for their citizens.

The defence secretary argued that the United States and its allies should instead be concentrating their efforts on increasing pressure on Russia, with the goal of shortening the war in Ukraine and securing the country's freedom.

The diesel deal is designed to lower fuel prices in America, which have risen following the conflict between the US and Israel with Iran. However, the arrangement has drawn sharp criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said the agreement would allow Moscow to raise funds to source new military equipment to continue the war.

The dispute escalated further when Trump responded to Zelensky's criticism by suggesting that Ukraine should "get a new leader" who could reach a deal with Russia to end the long-running conflict between the two countries.

Streeting said it was a matter for Ukrainians to choose their leader but added that the country was "fortunate to have someone of his calibre, his courage and his integrity leading their war effort."

He added that responsibility for the war "lies squarely and solely with President Putin and his imperialist ambitions."

The defence secretary said it was not the first time there had been public disagreements between Washington and Kyiv, adding that in such situations the UK sees it as its role and responsibility to try and bring friends back together again.

He also sought to emphasise the United States' support for Ukraine, saying there was "often an understatement" of how much help they had provided. Streeting highlighted that US support for Ukraine comes in a number of ways, from the provision of weapons through to intelligence support and the diplomatic initiative that Washington is leading, noting that the UK does a lot of procurement through the Americans.

The intervention from the defence secretary represents a significant diplomatic moment, as it places the UK at odds with its closest ally on a matter of substantial geopolitical importance. The diesel deal has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over how to handle Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, with critics arguing that any economic engagement with Moscow undermines efforts to isolate the Kremlin.

Conservative shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith also weighed in on the controversy, saying Trump was "wrong" to call for Zelensky to go, adding that while the US is the UK's closest ally, even close allies can disagree.

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Griffith criticised the diesel deal, saying it "sends out all the wrong messages," and argued that if you want a peaceful world, you don't do that sort of deal — you properly fund defence and prepare for war.

The debate over the diesel agreement comes amid broader discussions about European defence spending and preparedness. Also appearing on the programme, Streeting said the UK had to plan its defence spending on the basis that there could be a Russian attack on Nato — the military alliance made up of 32 countries — by 2030.

He said the UK didn't "seek conflict with Russia" but added that "strength is the best form of deterrence," a statement that reflects the government's approach to balancing diplomatic engagement with military preparedness.

The issue of defence funding has been a contentious one within the UK government. Earlier this year, John Healey — now the chancellor — resigned as defence secretary, accusing Sir Keir Starmer's government of not providing enough money for defence. He said the UK had to be spending 3% of national income on defence by 2030, up from an estimated 2.6% this year.

Streeting said Healey would use the coming Budget to "plug" a £4.7bn funding gap to pay for the Defence Investment Plan. He also said the government would set out a path to increase spending to 3.5% of national income by 2035 at next year's Spending Review.

Pressed on whether the government could commit to spending 3% of GDP by 2030, Streeting said he would "always push for more defence spending" but added that the government is not going to set out a spending commitment without showing how it will pay for it. He warned that if the chancellor were to sit on the programme and say "3% in 2030" without explaining how it would be funded, the markets would price in that risk and the cost of borrowing would go up.

The diplomatic tensions highlighted by the diesel deal underscore the complex balancing act facing Western allies as they seek to maintain unity against Russian aggression while managing domestic economic pressures and divergent political priorities.