Wright contended that bringing down hurdles for Russia to sell diesel will motivate the Kremlin to ease up on its war efforts so that it doesn’t have to face Ukrainian strikes on its energy infrastructure.
asserted
it → contend → infrastructure
“This is pressuring Russia.
asserted
This → pressure → Russia
Russia does not have diesel to export.
asserted
Russia → have → diesel
The only way they can get additional diesel to export is if they tone down the conflict with Ukraine,” Wright told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
asserted
Wright → get → Union
“They have to either get an energy ceasefire, they have to either end the war, or they have to reduce their war efforts, so they have additional diesel to export.”
asserted
they → get → diesel
Critics, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, argued the opposite, contending that relieving sanctions on Russia will only embolden dictator Vladimir Putin by allowing more money to flow into his war machine.
asserted
money → include → machine
Trump announced an energy ceasefire last Sunday — something that caught Ukraine by surprise.
asserted
that → announce → surprise
Ukrainian officials claimed to have abided by it for several days, but resumed attacks on Russian refineries after the Kremlin attacked a power plant and civilian gas stations.
asserted
Kremlin → claim → plant
“The war has gone on for four and a half years.
asserted
war → go → years
And so what President Trump is trying to do is find what different way will lead to peace,” Wright explained.
asserted
Wright → try → peace
What does the world need most of all for energy right now?
asserted
world → need → energy
What is Russia not able to supply right now?
asserted
Russia → supply → ?
Diesel,” he added.
asserted
he → add → Diesel
“This is a motivation for Russia to figure out how they can actually export some diesel.”
asserted
they → figure → diesel
Facing political pressure over rising diesel costs heading into the midterm elections, Trump had announced a deal earlier this month to ease up some sanctions on Russian diesel.
asserted
Trump → face → diesel
The relief would allow 300,000 tons of diesel from Russia to move in October, 500,000 tons during November and 1,000,000 tons thereafter, according to Trump’s announcement.
uncertain
tons → allow → announcement
The White House has noted that the diesel would flow into the global market, not the US.
asserted
diesel → note → market
“That diesel is going to be sold one way or the other,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Saturday evening.
asserted
Rubio → go → reporters
“The diesel that Putin was going to sell, they were going to make it available to the global market one way or the other.
asserted
it → go → market
“The only difference is how much of it the United States was going to get.”
asserted
States → go → it
Diesel is currently averaging a near-record high of $6.33 a gallon in the US, which has become a significant problem for farmers, according to data from the American Automobile Association.
uncertain
which → average → Association
Wright and other Trump administration officials have blamed the high diesel prices on Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, which are largely a form of retaliation for Moscow’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
asserted
which → blame → infrastructure
The Iran war is also a major factor in the shortage of diesel fuel worldwide, analysts say.
asserted
analysts → say → fuel
In addition to the diesel deal, Trump also took the dramatic step Friday to prevent certain secondary sanctions in the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act from taking effect.
asserted
Trump → take → effect
Trump had signed that law into effect just last month.
asserted
Trump → sign → effect
“It’s about economic sanctions on countries that trade with Russia.
asserted
that → ’ → Russia
There’s two of those that are meaningful, China and India,” Wright explained.
asserted
Wright → ’ → those
“He [Trump] didn’t end the Lindsey Graham sanctions.
asserted
He → end → sanctions
He’s just suspended the enforcement of that for now.”
asserted
He → suspend → that
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging Trump to reconsider both actions.
asserted
Zelensky → urge → actions
“I hope that he will change his decisions, change his attitude to Putin,” Zelensky told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” in an interview that aired Sunday.
asserted
that → hope → interview
“We waited from the very beginning of his presidential term that he will change his attitude to Putin.
asserted
he → wait → Putin
For us, it’s important and essential, absolutely,” he added.
asserted
he → ’ → us
“We can’t compare me and Putin.
asserted
We → compare → me
He’s [the] aggressor.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
He occupied us.
asserted
He → occupy → us
He killed adults and children, his soldiers.
asserted
He → kill → adults
He’s a terrorist.”
asserted
He → ’ → ?
The Aporia
