# Trump and Putin's BFF Deal

> Trump finally gets Putin as his 'best friend' amid Ukraine tensions.
- Title: Trump and Putin's BFF Deal · Mother Jones | Shortify
- Summary: Trump finally gets Putin as his 'best friend' amid Ukraine tensions. Trump and Putin have signed a diesel deal, with Trump pressuring Ukraine to surrender to…
- Keywords: donald trump, vladimir putin, ukraine, diesel deal, zelenskyy, russia, nfl, oil sanctions, ukraine war, trump administration, russian oil, diesel prices
- Source: Mother Jones — https://motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/trump-putin-oil-sanctions-russia-ukraine
- Author: David Corn
- Published: 2026-10-19T11:10:51+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: donald trump, vladimir putin, ukraine, diesel deal, zelenskyy, russia, nfl, oil sanctions, ukraine war, trump administration, russian oil, diesel prices
## Trump and Putin meet
Trump and Putin shake hands at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, in August 2025.
## Trump's diesel deal with Putin
Trump secured a deal where US temporarily lifts sanctions on Russian diesel and Russia supplies millions of tons of diesel globally.
## Oil industry reaction
Oil experts say the diesel deal is a small drop in global oil markets and won't lower US diesel prices.
## Trump's Iran war impact
Trump's war in Iran remains the main cause of higher oil prices, not the diesel deal.
## Trump and Putin's decade-long bond
Trump has sought Putin as a friend for over a decade, with Russia cultivating him as an ally.
## Trump's betrayal of Ukraine
Trump pressures Ukraine to surrender to Russia, calling Zelenskyy a dictator.
## Trump's history with Putin
Trump met Putin in 2013 for Miss Universe in Moscow, netting $2 million.
## Trump's Moscow Tower project
Trump secretly negotiated a Moscow Trump Tower project with Russian businessmen linked to intelligence.
## 2016 election interference
Trump echoed Putin's denials about election interference, aiding Russian attacks on US democracy.
## Trump's Ukraine pressure tactics
Trump demands Ukraine stop attacks on Russian oil facilities and claims Zelenskyy stole $350 billion.
## Zelenskyy's criticism
Zelenskyy calls Trump's Putin friendship a mistake, saying he loves autocrats.

> How can Trump be friends with him? I think that it’s a mistake.
## Trump's disinformation campaign
Trump spreads false claims about Zelenskyy stealing US military aid and Ukraine's war motives.
## Trump's Ukraine policy shift
Trump pressures Ukraine to surrender, claiming Zelenskyy is a dictator and wants to keep the war going.
## Trump's energy ceasefire
Trump declares an energy ceasefire with Putin, ignoring Russian attacks on Ukraine's power grid.
## Trump's new Axis of Evil
Trump and Putin propose a summit with Xi but not Zelenskyy to end the war.
## Key takeaway

Trump and Putin have signed a diesel deal, with Trump pressuring Ukraine to surrender to Russia.