The United States is seeking to use an agreement permitting Russian diesel exports as leverage to bring Moscow back to peace negotiations with Ukraine, according to people familiar with discussions between American and Ukrainian officials.
US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, presented the proposal during a meeting with Ukrainian officials in Miami on Friday, suggesting that the agreement could help revive stalled efforts to end the war.
Three people familiar with the discussions told Reuters that the American representatives acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin was not prepared to negotiate an end to the conflict, which has lasted four and a half years.
Two of the sources said Witkoff and Kushner believed the agreement could help restart trilateral talks involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine. Another source said Washington hoped the deal would soften Moscow’s position by signalling Trump’s willingness to pursue economic cooperation with Russia.
Under the agreement announced last week, Russia would supply more than 2.25 million barrels of diesel to US and international markets. The arrangement has drawn criticism from some American lawmakers, who argue that it could provide Moscow with additional revenue to fund its military operations without securing concessions towards ending the war.
Trump defended the agreement on Monday, describing it as the right decision for the American people. He has argued that the arrangement could help lower domestic energy prices, which have become a political concern for his Republican Party ahead of midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.
During the Miami meeting, Kushner also reiterated Washington’s request for Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries, according to two people familiar with the discussions. Trump has linked the attacks to rising global fuel prices, although many experts attribute the recent increases primarily to the war in Iran.
One source said Washington hoped to use the arrangement to encourage concessions from both sides. The United States could tell Moscow that Ukraine had stopped attacking Russian refineries while Russia had benefited from the diesel deal, putting pressure on the Kremlin to take a corresponding step towards peace.
Trump announced an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on Sunday, days after unveiling the diesel agreement. However, neither side has confirmed the truce, and Russia struck Ukrainian energy facilities on Monday.
The Russian Embassy in Washington and the Ukrainian presidential office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A person close to the Kremlin described the diesel agreement as an effort to bring Russia back to negotiations.
The Miami meeting also covered security guarantees for Ukraine and formed part of broader discussions on ending the conflict, according to people familiar with the talks. The specific proposals for security guarantees were not disclosed.
Trump has repeatedly maintained that Putin wants to reach a settlement, a position he reiterated on Saturday. Ukrainian and European officials, however, have questioned whether the Russian leader is willing to end the military campaign in the near future.
The agreement has also raised doubts about its potential impact on fuel prices. Some experts say the additional diesel supply would do little to reduce prices in the United States, representing less than a day’s supply for the country’s transport sector alone.
Ukrainian officials reportedly approached Washington’s proposal with scepticism, viewing it as an attempt to encourage Russia through commercial agreements without securing meaningful concessions from Moscow.
The Trump administration has previously explored other incentives to persuade Putin to negotiate, including possible sanctions relief and potential mineral agreements. However, those efforts have not substantially changed Russia’s core demands or secured its acceptance of a comprehensive ceasefire.
A person close to the Kremlin said Putin would only return to negotiations after gaining control of the remaining 11 per cent of the Donbas region, which he could present domestically as a victory.
Ukraine has ruled out surrendering additional territory to Russia but has suggested that freezing the conflict along the existing front lines could provide a basis for a peace agreement.
During the Miami meeting, Witkoff and Kushner also highlighted Washington’s military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine, according to one person familiar with the discussions. The American representatives did not threaten to withdraw that support if Kyiv refused to stop attacking Russian refineries, the sources said.
The meeting, which lasted several hours, also involved European officials and representatives of the World Bank, who participated virtually. It followed visits by Witkoff and Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv in September. After those visits, Witkoff said the discussions had generated renewed momentum and raised expectations for another round of negotiations.
The World Bank declined to comment.
Relations between Washington and Kyiv have become more strained since the diesel agreement was announced. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy criticised the arrangement as a weak decision and a gift to Putin, while Trump said on Saturday that Zelenskiy could have ended the war several times and suggested that Ukraine needed a new leader.
The Miami discussions also addressed Ukraine’s reconstruction, including funding mechanisms and the need for Kyiv to formalise its investment plans, according to people briefed on the meeting.
The Ukrainian delegation left without making any formal commitments but indicated that Kyiv would be willing to consider an energy ceasefire if Russia agreed to abide by the same terms.
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