U S. President Donald Trump stated that he plans to do business with both Russia and Ukraine after their war ends, just as a tanker carrying Russian diesel heads toward the US under his controversial agreement with Vladimir Putin.
The president declared on Saturday that Washington could resume commercial ties with Moscow after a peace agreement, despite mounting criticism over his decision to reopen American markets to Russian fuel while the Kremlin continues its invasion of Ukraine.
‘Certainly, we’ll do business with Ukraine and with Russia after this war ends, I would think,’ Trump said.
The president added that he wanted to ‘get back to life where Russia and Ukraine make a deal, and then we’d be able to do business with both.’
His comments came as the first shipment of Russian diesel under the new arrangement made its way across the Atlantic, with the vessel bound for New York and expected to arrive November 7.
The shipment marks a dramatic reversal in Washington’s approach to Moscow and has sparked outrage in Kyiv, where Ukrainian officials fear the agreement could provide Putin with fresh funds to sustain his war.
Asked on Saturday about Russian interest in investing in Alaska’s natural gas industry, Trump declined to address the proposal directly but made clear he envisioned a future in which American companies could again conduct business with Russia.
Trump also touted his administration’s natural resources agreement with Ukraine, suggesting the arrangement could eventually be worth as much as $1 trillion.
