Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has sharply criticised former US President Donald Trump’s agreement to purchase diesel fuel from Russia, describing the move as a “very risky choice” that could undermine efforts to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. Meloni delivered her remarks in parliament on Thursday, ahead of an EU leaders’ summit focused on continued support for Ukraine.
Trump announced last Friday a deal with Moscow allowing Russia to export 300,000 metric tonnes of diesel to the United States and other countries despite existing Western sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector. The US president attributed recent rises in diesel prices to Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, while Meloni argued that the driving force behind global energy price increases was the conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
Meloni expressed concern that the purchase would effectively legitimise the Russian government amid its ongoing military campaign against Ukraine. She warned that importing Russian diesel would provide fresh financial resources to Putin’s war effort and weaken the sanctions regime intended to coerce Russia into negotiations. “These are factors we cannot ignore, and they contradict the actions taken so far by Western nations, including the United States, to push Putin to the negotiating table,” she said.
The Italian leader also condemned Russia’s escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure, including power plants, hospitals, and bridges, describing them as part of a strategy to subdue Ukraine’s population through terror, cold, and darkness. “No one will convince me that the surrender of those defending their freedom can be called peace,” Meloni added.
The disagreement marks Meloni’s most pointed criticism of Trump since the dissolution of their personal and political alliance earlier this year. Initially, Meloni, who has maintained longstanding ties with the US Republican Party, was seen as a potential bridge between Washington and Europe given their shared ideological outlook. However, relations deteriorated after Rome refused to allow US air bases in Italy to be used in Trump’s planned bombing campaign against Iran. While Meloni had refrained from direct criticism of Trump’s policies during the early stages of the conflict, the former president accused her of lacking courage, deepening the rift between the two governments. Both sides have since expressed intent to repair diplomatic ties, with Rome vowing not to respond to further personal provocations.
Meloni’s criticism comes amid growing challenges for her administration in managing some of the highest energy prices in Europe. The Italian prime minister’s political rival, Roberto Vannacci, has openly supported Trump’s move to buy Russian diesel, reflecting a broader divide within Italy’s political landscape over how to respond to energy pressures tied to the conflict in Ukraine.