Germany stands by sanctions after US diesel deal with Russia

Germany on Saturday reiterated its firm stance on sanctions against Russia following the controversial diesel supply deal reached by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The German government stands by the sanction decisions against Russia and is working together with European partners on further sanctions," said Merz's spokesman Stefan Kornelius. "Support for Ukraine in its defensive struggle remains unbroken."

A spokeswoman for Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said in Berlin: "Germany stands unconditionally by the sanction packages."

The EU has imposed sanctions on Russian oil and petroleum products in response to Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Germany no longer imports oil or petroleum products from Russia, the spokeswoman noted.

"Our supply here is diversified; we are independent of Russian oil," she said, adding that security of supply had been guaranteed ever since.

Following a phone call with Putin on Friday, Trump announced an agreement for Russia to supply hundreds of thousands of tons of diesel to the US and global markets. Washington plans to temporarily ease sanctions on Russian diesel to allow the shipments to proceed. The Kremlin confirmed the deal.

Trump is facing mounting domestic pressure over rising fuel prices ahead of next month's US midterm elections. Analysts, however, say the Russian shipments are unlikely to have a significant impact on fuel prices, which have surged since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran in late February.

Merz and Reiche take note of deal

"The German government has taken note of the US decision regarding Russian diesel deliveries," said the spokesman Kornelius.  Reiche's spokeswoman expressed a similar sentiment.

However, their stance and that of European partners regarding the sanctions remain clear. "Diplomatic work toward a peaceful solution continues," Kornelius added.

In early October, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Reiche visited the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, which is under near non-stop attack by Russia, accompanied by business leaders from the defence and energy sectors.