“Disgusting”: Boris Johnson condemns U.S. easing of Russian diesel sanctions, rejects Trump’s Ukraine blame and points to Hormuz closure as price driver

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the U.S. easing of sanctions on Russian fuel “disgusting” and rejected President Donald Trump’s argument that Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries were contributing to higher fuel prices.

“It is frankly ridiculous to blame Ukraine for price rises that clearly began with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Johnson wrote on X. He added that if Russian oil and gas were to return to world markets, “let’s end this war — with a free, independent and sovereign Ukraine.”

Trump announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia to supply diesel to U.S. and global markets, with shipments of more than 300,000 tons immediately, another 500,000 tons in November and further deliveries afterward. The U.S. Treasury Department issued a temporary license allowing Russian diesel shipments loaded onto tankers by October 9, 2026, to be delivered without U.S. sanctions through April 2027.