Primary documents
- OFAC General License 135 ↗Treasury’s license for Russian diesel, Oct. 9, 2026 (opens in new tab)
- Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act ↗The 2022 law banning U.S. imports of Russian oil products, including diesel (opens in new tab)
- CBS News: 12 senators urge Trump to rescind the diesel deal ↗Six Republicans and six Democrats, Oct. 13, 2026 (opens in new tab)
2026
Zelensky said Ukraine was “done” pausing strikes on Russian refineries
After Trump’s Oct. 11 post, Ukraine said it had paused strikes on Russian refineries and accused Russia of continuing to hit its power grid. On Oct. 15, Zelensky told the Financial Times, “The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done.” Ukrainian drones hit a refinery in Ryazan the same day.
Why it matters: Ukraine said it paused its strikes while Russia kept hitting its grid.
Satellite speed limits cut Ukraine’s drone links as Russia attacked
On the night of Oct. 14, speed limits on SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield services cut the link to Ukraine’s fast drones, including the interceptors it uses against Russian attack drones, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said. Zelensky said Russia moved to exploit it. Russia launched at least 269 drones at Ukraine on Oct. 13–14, and six people were killed in Lutsk. Ukraine said full service returned Oct. 24.
Why it matters: Ukraine lost part of its drone defense during a major Russian attack.
Trump said both sides agreed to the truce “because I said.” The Kremlin said it was never defined.
On Oct. 12, asked why he said both sides had agreed when neither had confirmed it, Trump said, “Because I said, ‘You agree,’” and that there had been “violations on both sides.” Ukraine’s air force said Russia then fired 39 missiles and 128 drones. On Oct. 14, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the truce “was not specified,” Kyiv Post reported.
Why it matters: The Kremlin said Russia never agreed to defined terms.
Twelve senators, six of them Republicans, urged Trump to rescind the diesel deal
On Oct. 13, six Republican and six Democratic senators, including Mitch McConnell, wrote to Trump about the Russian diesel deal. Their letter said, “This deal is a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our Allies; it should be rescinded.”
Why it matters: Half the senators who signed were Republicans.
Trump said he didn’t believe Russia and China were helping Iran “at all”
Trump posted on Oct. 12 about Russia and China helping Iran: “If they are, it’s at a very low level, but I don’t believe they are at all.” Reuters, citing two people briefed on the matter, reported that recent U.S. intelligence assessments showed both countries giving Iran military help.
Why it matters: Reuters’ sources described U.S. intelligence that said otherwise.
Trump announced an “energy ceasefire.” Zelensky said Ukraine learned of it from the media.
On Oct. 11, Trump posted that an “ENERGY CEASEFIRE” was in effect and “Both parties have agreed.” Zelensky said Ukraine learned of it from media reports. Ukrainian officials said Russia struck a power plant in Kharkiv hours later.
Why it matters: Trump announced a deal Ukraine said it hadn’t been told about.
Trump said Ukraine should “get a new president”
After Zelensky called the diesel deal “a weak decision by our strong partners,” Trump told reporters on Oct. 10 that Zelensky “better damn well stop” hitting Russian refineries. He added, “I think it’s time for Ukraine to get a new president.”
Why it matters: Trump said Ukraine needed a new president, not that Russia needed to change course.
Axios reported Trump’s envoys warned Ukraine it could lose U.S. intelligence
Axios, citing a Ukrainian official, reported that at an Oct. 9 meeting in Miami, Witkoff and Kushner warned Ukraine it could lose U.S. intelligence if it kept hitting Russian refineries. A U.S. official denied any threat. Zelensky later said U.S. warnings of Russian ballistic missiles were blocked for three days; Kyiv was told it was a technical glitch, the Financial Times reported.
Why it matters: The warning came the same day Treasury eased sanctions on Russian diesel.
After a call with Putin, Trump announced a diesel deal and Treasury eased sanctions
After a call with Putin on Oct. 9, Trump said Russia would supply diesel, up to 4.8 million tons by his count. The same day, Treasury issued a license allowing sales of Russian diesel, including imports into the U.S., through April 7, 2027. Senators from both parties said the license “runs directly counter” to a 2022 law banning Russian oil imports, AP reported.
Why it matters: Senators said Trump eased Russian sanctions that Congress wrote into law.
ProPublica: a Russian boxing chief honored by Putin paid for Trump Jr.’s wedding celebrations
ProPublica reported that Umar Kremlev, a Russian boxing executive who received Putin’s Order of Friendship, paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for two nights of celebrations after Donald Trump Jr.’s May 2026 wedding. Bettina Trump wrote on Instagram that Kremlev “very generously hosted” them. Trump said on Sept. 18 that his son had paid Kremlev back, and Kremlev said on Oct. 6 that he had been repaid.
Why it matters: The president’s son accepted a costly gift from a Russian businessman Putin has honored.
Trump said any Russian help to Iran was “very unimpactful”
After Zelensky said Russian satellite imagery of U.S. and Gulf bases matched later Iranian strikes, Trump told reporters on July 27 that he would ask Putin about it. If Russia had helped, he said, “it has been very unimpactful,” Fox News reported.
Why it matters: Trump’s response was to say he would ask Putin.
Reports said Russia gave Iran the locations of U.S. forces
CNN and NBC reported, citing people familiar with U.S. intelligence, that Russia was giving Iran the locations of U.S. troops, ships and aircraft. CNN said it was not clear any single attack was linked. Asked about it on March 6, 2026, Trump said, “What a stupid question that is to be asking at this time.”
Why it matters: Asked whether Russia was helping Iran target Americans, Trump called it a stupid question.
Treasury let buyers purchase Russian oil already at sea
During the oil-price spike from the Iran war, Treasury issued and repeatedly renewed waivers, from March through May 2026, that let buyers purchase Russian oil already loaded on tankers. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the waivers “will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government.” RFE/RL reported they did little to ease prices.
Why it matters: Treasury eased Russian oil sanctions for months, with little effect on prices, RFE/RL reported.
2025
Reports said a Kremlin envoy helped shape the U.S. peace plan
Axios and Reuters reported that Witkoff worked on a 28-point peace plan with Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who met Trump’s team in Miami Oct. 24–26, 2025. The Wall Street Journal reported Dmitriev also pitched business deals to Trump’s negotiators. Rubio said the plan was “authored by the U.S.” with input from Russia and Ukraine.
Why it matters: Russia’s envoy reportedly had a hand in the plan to end Russia’s war.
A leaked call showed Trump’s envoy advising a Putin aide on how to pitch Trump
Bloomberg published a transcript of an Oct. 14, 2025, call in which Steve Witkoff suggested Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov have Putin praise Trump as a “man of peace,” and said a deal would take “Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere.” Trump said he hadn’t heard the recording but called it “a very standard form of negotiation.”
Why it matters: Trump’s envoy advised the Kremlin on how to handle Trump, according to the transcript.
Trump hosted Putin in Alaska, and the summit ended without a deal
On Aug. 15, 2025, Trump greeted Putin on a red carpet in Anchorage, and the two rode together in the presidential limousine, AP reported. No ceasefire was announced. Trump said, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” and Putin said, “Next time in Moscow.”
Why it matters: Putin got a red-carpet welcome and agreed to no ceasefire.
Trump’s envoy said, “I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy”
In a Tucker Carlson interview released March 21, 2025, envoy Steve Witkoff said, “I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy.” He also said that in referendums held in Russian-occupied Ukraine, “the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule,” CNN reported. CNN noted those votes were widely dismissed as shams.
Why it matters: Trump’s negotiator repeated Kremlin talking points, CNN reported.
Trump paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine
On March 3, 2025, days after the Oval Office meeting, Trump paused U.S. military aid to Ukraine, Stars and Stripes reported. By March 5, the U.S. had also paused intelligence sharing; national security adviser Mike Waltz said the U.S. was “pausing and reviewing all aspects of this relationship.” On March 11, after Ukraine backed a ceasefire proposal, the U.S. said both would resume.
Why it matters: The U.S. paused aid and intelligence to the country Russia invaded.
Trump told Zelensky in the Oval Office he was “gambling with World War III”
On Feb. 28, 2025, in front of reporters, Trump told Zelensky, “You’re gambling with World War III” and “You’ve got to be more thankful,” AP reported. Vance asked Zelensky whether he had said “thank you” once. Zelensky left early, a planned news conference was canceled and the minerals deal went unsigned.
Why it matters: On camera, Trump scolded Ukraine’s president, not Russia’s.
The U.S. voted with Russia against a UN resolution on the war
On Feb. 24, 2025, the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion, the UN General Assembly passed a Ukraine-backed resolution on the war, 93 to 18. The U.S. voted no, alongside Russia and Belarus. The U.S. had offered a rival resolution that did not name Russia as the aggressor.
Why it matters: The U.S. voted with Russia on a UN resolution about Russia’s war.
Trump called Zelensky “a Dictator without Elections”
In a Feb. 19, 2025, Truth Social post, Trump called Ukraine’s president “a Dictator without Elections.” Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, and Ukrainian law bars elections while it is in force, Lawfare reported.
Why it matters: Trump called Zelensky a dictator over elections Ukrainian law doesn’t allow in wartime.
Trump told Ukraine, “You should have never started it”
On Feb. 18, 2025, U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia without Ukraine. Asked that day about Ukraine’s objection to being left out, Trump said, “You should have never started it. You could have made a deal,” NBC reported. Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Why it matters: Russia invaded, and Trump told Ukraine it “should have never started it.”
2024
Trump said he’d encourage Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to NATO allies that don’t pay
At a Feb. 10, 2024, rally in Conway, South Carolina, Trump told a story in which the leader of a NATO country asked whether the U.S. would still protect it from Russia if it didn’t pay. Trump said he replied, “No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want.” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said such talk “undermines all of our security.”
Why it matters: Trump said he would encourage Russia to act against U.S. allies that don’t pay.
2023
Trump wouldn’t say he wants Ukraine to win
At a CNN town hall on May 10, 2023, Kaitlan Collins asked Trump, “Do you want Ukraine to win this war?” He said, “I don’t think in terms of winning and losing,” and that he wanted the war settled. Asked at the Sept. 10, 2024, debate whether he wanted Ukraine to win, he said he wanted the war to stop.
Why it matters: Asked directly, Trump would not say he wanted Ukraine to win.
2022
Trump called Putin’s declaration on eastern Ukraine “genius” and Putin “very savvy”
On Feb. 22, 2022, after Putin declared two regions of eastern Ukraine independent, Trump said on the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton show, “I said, ‘This is genius.’” He called Putin “very savvy.” Russia launched its full-scale invasion two days later.
Why it matters: Two days before the full invasion, Trump praised Putin’s move.
2020
Trump suggested China was behind a hack his secretary of state tied to Russia
On Dec. 18, 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Russia was “pretty clearly” behind the SolarWinds hack. The next day, Trump tweeted that the media was afraid of “discussing the possibility that it may be China (it may!).” On Jan. 5, 2021, U.S. agencies said the hack was likely Russian, NBC reported.
Why it matters: Trump publicly doubted Russia’s role a day after his secretary of state named it.
2019
Trump pulled U.S. troops from northern Syria, and Russian forces moved in
On Oct. 6, 2019, after a call with Turkey’s Erdogan, the White House said U.S. forces would not be in the area of Turkey’s planned operation, and U.S. troops were then ordered out of northeast Syria. Russian forces moved into areas the U.S. left, CBS reported. On Oct. 16, Trump said, “Syria may have some help with Russia, and that’s fine.”
Why it matters: Russian forces moved into ground U.S. troops left.
2018
Trump repeatedly pushed to bring Russia back into the G7
Russia was suspended from the G8 in 2014 after it annexed Crimea. In June 2018, Trump asked, “Why are we having a meeting without Russia being in the meeting?” He renewed the call in August 2019, and in May 2020 he said he wanted to invite Russia to the summit he was hosting, AP reported.
Why it matters: Russia’s suspension was a penalty for taking Crimea. Trump pushed to end it.
Trump congratulated Putin on his re-election; his briefing papers said “DO NOT CONGRATULATE”
On March 20, 2018, Trump called Putin and congratulated him on his re-election. AP reported that Trump’s briefing papers included a note reading “DO NOT CONGRATULATE.” Eight days earlier, Britain’s prime minister had said Russia was “highly likely” responsible for a nerve-agent attack in England.
Why it matters: Trump congratulated Putin eight days after Britain blamed Russia for a nerve-agent attack.
2016
Trump said Putin was “not going to go into Ukraine,” two years after Russia took Crimea
On ABC’s “This Week” on July 31, 2016, Trump said of Putin, “He’s not going to go into Ukraine.” Russia had annexed Crimea in 2014; when that was pointed out, Trump said Putin was “there in a certain way.” Asked whether he would recognize Crimea as Russian, he said, “I’m going to take a look at it.”
Why it matters: The U.S. has not recognized Russia’s annexation of Crimea.