Washington DC [US], October 10 (ANI): Amid Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's criticism of easing sanctions on Moscow without a de-escalation agreement, US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) hailed the diesel deal with Russia as a 'big deal', thanking Russian President Vladimir Putin for agreeing to supply 'massive amounts' of diesel to the United States. 

"I think you heard about the oil deal with Russia. That is a big deal. That is massive amounts of oil coming into our country. I want to thank President Putin. We have massive amounts of oil coming into our country, and it is diesel, which is what we want," Trump told reporters outside the White House before heading to Syracuse, New York, for the midterm election campaign.

His remarks come following his announcement that Russia would immediately supply over 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to American and global markets.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Russia would supply another 500,000 tonnes during November and 1 million tonnes immediately thereafter, followed by a further 3 million tonnes within a short period, depending on the condition of its diesel refineries.

He said the proposed supplies, along with what he described as US control of the Strait of Hormuz, would bring down diesel prices for Americans and the wider global market.

"Between our TOTAL CONTROL of the Strait of Hormuz, and this great announcement on Russian Energy, Diesel Prices for Americans and, indeed, the World, will be COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!" Trump said.

He described lowering prices for Americans, particularly farmers, ranchers and truckers, as his "Greatest Priority" and reiterated that Iran would not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.

However, Zelenskyy on Friday (local time) termed any easing of sanctions against Russia without a clear and lasting de-escalation agreement an "obvious weakness", warning that it could allow Moscow to prolong the war.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy called for stronger sanctions against Russia, continued support for Ukraine and greater pressure on Moscow to end the conflict.

"Peace never comes through weakness. Today, representatives of the U.S. Congress were in Kyiv - a bipartisan delegation - and I am grateful to them for visiting Ukraine at such a difficult time. They asked: what is needed to end the war? The answer must be strong. There must be sanctions under the Lindsey Graham bill, there must be support for Ukraine in protecting lives, and there must be pressure on Russia for its war," he wrote.

Zelenskyy said easing sanctions without a lasting agreement would benefit Moscow by allowing it to continue the war and inflict further damage.

"Any easing of sanctions against Russia without a clear and lasting de-escalation agreement with Russia is an obvious weakness. It plays into Russia's hands - allowing it to kill more, wage war for longer, have even less respect for America, and inflict even greater losses and damage on the world," he said.

Referring to the proposed diesel supplies, Zelenskyy said, "Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world. Russia will 'repay' the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged."

He also said Ukraine was ready to take reciprocal steps towards de-escalation, linking Kyiv's strikes on Russian oil refineries to Moscow's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

"Ukraine will not set Russian oil refineries on fire if Russia does not destroy our energy infrastructure. This is the kind of agreement we are proposing to America, and we believe the United States has enough power to achieve such a compromise," Zelenskyy said.

In a phone interview with Axios on Friday (local time), Zelenskyy also criticised Trump's decision to ease sanctions on Russia and allow it to export diesel, describing it as "not fair and not honest".

According to Axios, Trump's announcement came as his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were meeting the Ukrainian negotiating team in Miami, alongside senior diplomats from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO, to discuss new US proposals for ending the war.

Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak recently said that Russia's diesel fuel market was balanced and that Moscow would consider partially reopening exports only in the event of overproduction, according to the TASS news agency. (ANI)