Czech President Petr Pavel has claimed that Russia and Ukraine were close to reaching a ceasefire agreement before US President Donald Trump decided to lift sanctions on Russian diesel fuel. In an interview with Politico, Pavel argued that Washington’s decision had changed the situation.
According to the Czech leader, US and European restrictions on Russian oil had put considerable pressure on Moscow. However, the agreement between Washington and Russia gave Moscow an opportunity to recover. Pavel believes the deal has made it harder for Western allies to achieve their objectives while also providing Russia with a morale boost.
Pavel also criticized Trump’s approach to Moscow, arguing that the US president is more sympathetic toward Russia than European leaders. In his view, Trump bases his decisions primarily on America’s economic interests.
The Czech president described the decision as a mistake that directly contradicts Europe’s interests, although he stopped short of calling it a betrayal.
At the same time, Pavel acknowledged that European countries could eventually resume purchases of Russian oil.
On October 9, Trump announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin that would allow Russian diesel fuel to return to global markets. The US Treasury subsequently lifted sanctions on Russian diesel shipments until April 2027.