Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni questions US-Russian diesel deal

The diesel supply deal between the United States and Russia was termed as a “very risky choice” that runs counter to efforts to force Vladimir Putin to engage in negotiations with Ukraine, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Wednesday.

The United States and Russia announced last week their agreement, wherein, Moscow would initially supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to US and ​global markets.

"The outcome of this decision is uncertain, while the risks are clear," Meloni told the Italian parliament ahead of an EU summit this week.


Read more: Trump's diesel deal with Putin draws criticism from a frustrated Congress

"It provides Moscow with legitimacy as its bombs continue to fall on Ukrainian cities, generates new revenue to finance the war, and implicitly weakens the effectiveness of sanctions," she added.

Following the agreement, US President Donald Trump said the deal would lower energy prices in the United States, which has become a major political hurdle for his Republican party ahead of the crucial midterm that would determine control of the US Congress.

Read more: How much will Americans actually save on fuel, and groceries from the US-Russia diesel deal?

Meloni emphasised the need for the European Union to appoint "an authoritative figure" to negotiate for Europe over the Russia-Ukraine war, without ruling out a formal mandate for the E3 Group comprising Germany, France and Great Britain.

"If France, Germany, and Great Britain believe they can do better on their own than we could all do together, and so far that is the choice they have made, then at least let them do so on behalf of everyone and with an official mandate," Meloni said.

(With inputs from Reuters)