UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting opposes Trump's Russia diesel deal

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said on BBC Radio 4 that Britain does not back Donald Trump’s proposed diesel deal with Russia, which would see the United States purchase millions of tonnes of fuel from Moscow. The agreement, announced in the run‑up to the November US election and amid a global push to curb living‑cost pressures, would give Russia a new source of revenue at a time the West is grappling with rising fuel prices triggered by the Iran‑Israel conflict.

Streeting argued that the focus should be on tightening pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine, rather than on easing American fuel costs. He said the deal would allow Moscow to raise funds to buy new weapons for the conflict, a point echoed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump, in turn, suggested Ukraine should “get a new leader” who could negotiate with Russia. Streeting dismissed the idea, praising Zelensky’s leadership and insisting that responsibility for the war lies solely with President Putin and his imperialist ambitions.

The UK’s support for Ukraine remains strong, Streeting said, highlighting the provision of weapons, procurement through American channels, intelligence sharing and diplomatic initiatives led by Washington. He also noted that disagreements between Washington and Kyiv are not new, and that the UK’s role is to bring allies together. Conservative shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith criticised Trump’s call for a new Ukrainian leader, saying that even close allies can disagree. Streeting warned that the diesel deal sends the wrong message, arguing that a peaceful world requires proper defence funding rather than cheap fuel.

Looking ahead, Streeting said the UK must plan defence spending on the assumption that Russia could attack NATO by 2030. He stressed that the UK does not seek conflict but that strength is the best deterrent. This stance follows former Defence Secretary John Healey’s resignation earlier this year over inadequate funding, and the government’s aim to raise defence spending to 3 % of national income by 2030, up from the current 2.6 %. The UK will therefore continue to weigh its strategic priorities against the backdrop of a changing security landscape.