Trump’s diesel deal with Putin, a rebuke from Brussels, and a squabble over Europe’s enormous Russian energy bill

EU leaders are unhappy with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s deal to supply Russian diesel fuel to the U.S. They believe it undermines sanctions and allows the Kremlin to continue its war against Ukraine. In response, Trump says Europeans themselves have paid Moscow $250 billion for energy since the war began. Russia says that figure is too low; the EU says it is too high. By any estimate, however, the Kremlin continues to receive very large sums from the EU — despite repeated statements from Brussels about ending imports of Russian fuel. Here’s the short version.

Russia’s account (as presented by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak): Russia received even more from the EU than Trump said. Since 2022, the EU has paid $320.7 billion for energy. In the first nine months of 2026 alone, Russia supplied Europe with $21.3 billion worth of energy.

The EU’s account (as presented by an unnamed European Commission representative): From March 2022 to July 2026, Russia supplied the EU with 197 billion euros ($209 billion) worth of energy. The plan to phase out Russian energy is working: Without it, the EU would have spent 475 billion euros on Russian oil and gas, more than twice as much.

What about before the war? In 2021, the EU paid Russia 99 billion euros for energy, according to official Eurostat data. For comparison, Russia’s sovereign assets frozen in European depositories are estimated at 210 billion euros. EU officials periodically discuss seizing those assets to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction.