Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has defended the controversial Trump-Putin diesel deal, arguing that measures to reduce fuel prices are necessary to protect Europe’s economic competitiveness, despite criticism from fellow European Union leaders over the easing of sanctions on Russian fuel.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday as he arrived at a two-day EU leaders’ summit, Radev said high fuel prices remained a major problem for Europe and welcomed efforts to bring them down.
“You know what is our problem right now in Europe? High fuel prices,” Radev said in English. “Any step in reducing fuel prices and to guarantee our competitiveness, we appreciate.”
His remarks placed him at odds with several European leaders who have criticised the agreement between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Under the arrangement described in the original report, the United States has eased sanctions on imports of Russian diesel until April 2027.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed concern that the agreement could help Moscow finance its war against Ukraine. Although he acknowledged that diesel represented a relatively small part of the wider issue, he argued that easing restrictions on Russian supplies sent the wrong signal.
“We very much regret this agreement on diesel. It’s obviously not a very big part, but still it’s in the wrong direction,” Kristersson said. “Every step now to help the Russians to increase their financing of the war is a bad sign.”
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also criticised the arrangement, describing it as a concession to Putin while Russian forces continued attacks on Ukraine.
Speaking to Euronews on Thursday, Kallas questioned what Russia had offered in return for the agreement. She pointed to continued attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, adding that the announced ceasefire was not working on the Russian side.
“The question is: what has he (Putin) given in return?” Kallas said.
Her comments reflected wider concerns among European officials that easing restrictions on Russian fuel could undermine efforts to limit Moscow’s financial resources while the war continues.
Radev also opposed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, another point of disagreement with European leaders who view such strikes as a way for Kyiv to put pressure on Moscow.
Trump has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to halt the attacks immediately. Zelenskyy has indicated that Ukraine’s campaign against Russian energy infrastructure will continue.
“I don’t support strikes on any refineries,” Radev said.
He also opposed attacks on power plants, drawing a comparison between Ukrainian strikes on Russian facilities and Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Radev argued that damage to energy facilities on either side could push fuel prices higher in Europe.
“I don’t support strikes on any energy power plants, like Russian attacks on energy power plants in Ukraine, because this hits us back. The prices in Europe are (skyrocketing),” he said.
Many European leaders have supported Ukraine’s efforts to target Russian oil refineries, arguing that the attacks could weaken Moscow’s ability to finance the war and strengthen Kyiv’s position in any future negotiations. Their position contrasts with Trump’s call to stop the strikes, which the report links to concerns over fuel prices ahead of the US midterm elections.
Republicans face the possibility of losing control of both chambers of Congress to Democrats, making energy costs a significant domestic political issue for the Trump administration.
Radev’s position fits a broader pattern in his approach to the war. Since taking office earlier this year, the Bulgarian prime minister has challenged aspects of the EU’s policy towards Russia and called for greater diplomatic engagement with the Kremlin.
In an interview with Euronews on 30 September, Radev argued that the bloc’s strategy of “peace by force” had failed. He urged European leaders to pursue dialogue with Moscow, presenting diplomacy as a way to reduce the risk of further escalation.
His support for the diesel agreement and opposition to attacks on Russian energy infrastructure underline the differences between Bulgaria’s prime minister and EU leaders who believe sustained pressure on Moscow remains necessary. At the centre of the dispute are competing priorities: reducing energy costs for European consumers, maintaining pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, and determining what role diplomacy should play in ending the conflict.
