Ukraine war briefing: Putin envoy says US better understands importance of Russian oil amid energy crisis

Ukraine war briefing: Putin envoy says US better understands importance of Russian oil amid energy crisis

Following a meeting in Florida, the Russian representative claimed Washington is “starting to grasp” the significance of Russian oil, especially during the energy market turmoil. The talks, which excluded Ukrainian officials, focused on potential projects to mend relations between Russia and the U.S. and address the ongoing crisis, according to Kirill Dmitriev, who shared the details in a Telegram update.

Hours before the U.S. announced a 30-day permit for nations to purchase Russian oil and petroleum products stranded at sea, the discussions took place. This move aims to stabilize energy markets affected by the Iran conflict. Earlier this week, the U.S. had already eased some sanctions on Russian oil, a decision that drew criticism for replenishing Russia’s war funding.

Meanwhile, Hungary returned two armored vehicles seized from Ukraine but kept millions in cash and gold, citing an investigation into alleged financial misconduct. Kyiv called this action a form of theft. The incident marked a worsening relationship between Hungary and Ukraine after the country detained seven Ukrainians transporting funds, an act Kyiv claimed was meant to pressure them into resuming suspended oil exports.

The EU Commission proposed inspecting the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, following its damage and subsequent shutdown since late January. Ukraine attributes the damage to a Russian strike, while Slovakia and Hungary blame Kyiv for the prolonged disruption. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused Ukrainian forces of planning attacks on his family, leveraging the dispute for political advantage before the upcoming election.

Orbán and his allies are reportedly using the standoff to gain traction, as polls show him trailing challenger Péter Magyar by 20 points. In another development, Ukraine shared battlefield data with allies to aid in training drone AI systems, as global militaries increasingly rely on automated technologies for targeting and data analysis. Foreign entities have sought access to Ukraine’s datasets to improve pattern recognition and machine behavior analysis.

The European Commission warned of cutting funding for the Venice Biennale if Russia is allowed to participate, citing concerns over ethical breaches. Organizers had confirmed Russia’s inclusion, prompting Ukraine to accuse them of providing a platform to “erase war crimes.” Romania and Ukraine also signed an agreement to develop defense systems, including drones, in Romania. The country shares a 650-km border with Ukraine, where Russian attacks on ports and airspace breaches have occurred.

“At night, there were renewed attempts to attack the Russkaya compressor station with drones,” stated Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, labeling the pipeline as an “international facility” vital for Turkey’s energy security. He called the strikes “absolutely reckless actions” by Kyiv’s leadership.

Simon Goodley noted that Russia generated €6bn from fossil fuel sales in the two weeks since the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran began, with an additional €672m from March oil, gas, and coal exports. Trump recently mentioned that Putin expressed a desire to assist in the Middle East war during a call earlier in the week.