Bulgaria becomes the only EU state to back the Trump–Putin oil deal

Bulgaria has become the only European Union country to support the oil agreement between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Prime Minister Rumen Radev's position runs counter to that of the other EU leaders, a Ukrainian news agency reported.

“Do you know what the problem in Europe is right now? High fuel prices. We welcome any step that lowers fuel prices, because it helps strengthen our competitiveness,” Radev said in Brussels ahead of the EU summit when asked for his view of the deal. At the same time, he spoke out against Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries and criticized Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

“I do not support any strikes on oil refineries, just as I do not support attacks on power plants, like those Russia is carrying out against Ukraine,” the Bulgarian prime minister said.

Trump has lifted sanctions on Russian oil and agreed with Putin on supplies of the commodity to the American and global markets. According to the agency, Washington is holding firm despite harsh criticism of the deal. The US administration is also considering easing sanctions on “shadow fleet” tankers that carry Russian oil and petroleum products, which would then be subject only to the sanctions of Ukraine's European allies.

In addition, the United States has proposed that European countries release part of the Russian state assets frozen after the start of the invasion of Ukraine. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, however, stressed that Russian assets frozen in Europe must remain under European control, and that Europeans themselves should decide how they are used next.

Source: novinky.cz