Following public remarks by the President of Ukraine concerning the proposed diesel arrangement with the Russian Federation, the Office of Fuel Diplomacy has completed a preliminary assessment of the situation. The assessment found that the Ukrainian leadership has declined to participate in a transaction the Office describes as ‘extremely good.’ Under established protocol, this constitutes a leadership vacancy.
The Administration has therefore requested that a replacement be identified and installed as soon as practicable. A spokesperson stated that the timeline is urgent. Diesel is currently in a state of being released, and that release cannot be paused for a national election cycle.
Moscow was consulted and reportedly regards the arrangement as a mechanism for funding the war. The Office has noted this concern and reclassified it as a positive indicator of engagement. The Ukrainian Ministry of Energy has not responded to requests for comment, which the Office has recorded as agreement in principle.
A working group will be convened to establish criteria for a successor. Candidates will be assessed on their willingness to sign documents in advance of the fuel schedule. The group is expected to report within the week, or sooner if the diesel does. A further update will be issued upon arrival.