Trump's Russian Diesel Deal Draws Aide Disagreement, Bipartisan Criticism and Warning From Zelenskyy
Photo: AxiosHow the sides differ Left sources have not covered it; alternative sources stress aides' conflicting explanations and strategic questions, while right sources focus on Zelenskyy's warning and his call with Trump's envoys.
Alternative and independent outlets report that President Donald Trump's Russian diesel deal, following a waiver he issued late Friday, drew sharply different explanations from his top aides over the weekend amid bipartisan criticism. Axios says Wright described it as an incentive for peace, while Rubio said Russia would sell the diesel anyway. CNBC argues the deal may do little for Russia's finances but raises larger questions about Ukraine's leverage, U.S. support and Putin's next moves. Right-leaning outlets center on Ukraine's reaction: the Daily Caller reports Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the deal very dangerous, and Newsmax reports he spoke Sunday with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Axios adds that oil, gas and petroleum products help finance Russia's war on Ukraine, and that the move is creating rifts within the Republican Party shortly before the midterm elections. Newsmax says the call was Zelenskyy's first with the envoys since the deal and dealt with restarting peace negotiations with Russia amid tensions involving Kyiv. Left-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing, while alternative and independent and right-leaning outlets had. Those covering it differ in focus: alternative outlets stress the aides' conflicting accounts and strategic implications, and right-leaning outlets stress Zelenskyy's warning and diplomacy.
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Not covering this story. None of the left-leaning outlets Crosswire tracks has reported it yet. What one side leaves out can be as telling as what the others report.
Axios leads with Wright's and Rubio's conflicting explanations and bipartisan criticism. CNBC offers analysis of the deal's limited financial effect and its implications for Ukraine, U.S. support and Putin.
The Daily Caller leads with Zelenskyy's warning that the deal is very dangerous. Newsmax reports his Sunday call with Witkoff and Kushner about restarting peace negotiations with Russia.