Britain doesn't support Trump's Russia diesel deal: defense secretary

LONDON - Britain does not support US President Donald Trump's deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to purchase millions of tons of diesel from Russia, British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said on Sunday.

"We don't support that decision. As the prime minister set out, we are strengthening sanctions against Russia," Streeting said in an interview broadcast by the BBC.

He added that the deal was done "very much in the context of the US midterm elections" in November and at a time when politicians across the world were under pressure to ease the cost of living.

Trump's diesel agreement is aimed at lowering fuel prices in the United States that have risen following the joint US-Israel attacks against Iran, according to the BBC report.

On Friday, Washington announced measures to ease sanctions on Russian diesel trade. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the move, saying that allowing Russia to sell petroleum products would amount to investing in the war.