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Summary for: ‘Trump betrayed us’: Babiš criticizes Russian diesel deal at EU summitPrime Minister Andrej Babiš accused US President Donald Trump of betraying Europe by striking a deal with Vladimir Putin on Russian diesel supplies, delivering unusually sharp criticism of the American president at Friday’s EU summit in Brussels.
“Trump, by doing that business with Putin, actually betrayed us. We have to do something,” Babiš told reporters before the summit’s second day. He also called for an end to the war in Ukraine, while stressing that peace should not mean accepting Russia’s terms.
Speaking again after the summit, Babiš linked Trump’s decisions to November’s US elections. However, he emphasized the importance of the American alliance and said his criticism did not change the United States’ essential role in NATO.
Russian fuel agreement draws rare criticism
Trump announced the agreement last week, covering deliveries of more than 300,000 metric tons of Russian diesel to the American and global markets, with further shipments expected in subsequent months.
The decision drew criticism from Ukraine and other European countries. Babiš had previously described it as a “big slap in the face for Europe.”
On Friday morning, his language became stronger. The Czech expression he used, “podrazil nás,” conveys betrayal or being double-crossed.
Babiš argued that Europe was failing to play a sufficiently active role in efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“I think we all want peace. I’m not saying that peace means accepting some Russian ideas,” he said, before criticizing Europe’s position and Trump’s agreement with Putin.
Asked after the summit whether recent developments had changed his assessment of Trump’s ability to end the war, Babiš said the US president was acting with the upcoming elections in mind.
“What he is saying or doing now, he is doing because of the elections,” he said.
Nevertheless, Babiš described Trump as the strongest ally and stressed that NATO would not be NATO without the United States. That did not mean he would welcome everything the president said, he added.
Babiš challenges proposed Ukraine funding
The prime minister also objected to including EUR 100 billion for Ukraine in the EU’s proposed long-term budget.
He argued that the money should instead be provided through loans outside the seven-year spending framework, saying member states themselves lacked sufficient resources.
“In any case, the Czech Republic will not guarantee it,” he said.
Support for Ukraine ahead of winter was a central topic on the summit’s second day, alongside its financial needs and air defenses.
Separately, Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands and Spain have renewed calls to consider using frozen Russian assets to assist Kyiv. Belgium, where most of those assets are held, has maintained its opposition to releasing them.
Babiš’s remarks combined criticism of Washington’s dealings with Moscow with continued resistance to the proposed financing arrangements for European support to Ukraine.
