{"text":[[{"start":7.3,"text":"Donald Trump has stooped to new lows in his efforts to placate voters ahead of next month’s midterm elections. With US households reeling from record diesel prices — almost entirely a consequence of the president’s ill-conceived war with Iran — his administration has lurched through days of diplomatic contortions in pursuit of an expedient solution that undermines Ukraine in its fight against Vladimir Putin’s Russia."}],[{"start":28.64,"text":"On Friday, Trump announced a deal with Putin to release Russian diesel supplies on to global markets, compromising international sanctions designed to deprive Moscow of revenues that help fund its illegal invasion of Ukraine. Over the weekend, US officials then bullied Kyiv to halt its strikes on Russian oil refineries and pressed European capitals to lean on their ally. The officials backed their demand with threats to cut off intelligence sharing with Ukraine and its access to US-made weapons under a Nato-administered scheme, the FT reported."}],[{"start":60.32,"text":"To top it off, on Sunday, Trump claimed on his social media platform, Truth Social, that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to an “energy ceasefire”. Neither side has confirmed the agreement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Russian drones and missiles had continued to strike Ukrainian power and gas facilities overnight. “Putin does not read Truth Social,” Zelenskyy quipped."}],[{"start":83.2,"text":"There is much to deplore in Trump’s scheme. For one, it weakens Ukraine’s hand. A comprehensive energy ceasefire could offer Kyiv much-needed relief from attacks on its electricity grid ahead of winter. But the current proposal is reportedly limited to oil refineries, benefiting Moscow, which has far more facilities to protect, while depriving Ukraine of valuable leverage. Moreover, as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has warned, there is no guarantee Putin would honour any agreement. And if the US followed through with its threats to remove support for Ukraine, that would further weaken Kyiv’s defences and negotiating position."}],[{"start":119.18,"text":"The hypocrisy is equally glaring. Having lambasted India and China for buying Russian oil, and threatened sanctions over their purchases, Trump is now seeking to facilitate Russian diesel exports himself. This only undermines the credibility of western efforts to isolate Putin, making it harder to persuade other countries to bear the economic costs of doing so too."}],[{"start":139.36,"text":"Even setting principle aside, the administration’s plan won’t deliver much respite for consumers. US diesel prices remain elevated, while the additional Russian supplies would be modest. For measure, if Moscow exported half a million tonnes next month, as pledged, that would amount to less than 4 per cent of global demand. Analysts also point to domestic fuel shortages and refinery damage that could constrain Russian exports, while any sustained relief would depend on a ceasefire that holds. The deal faces opposition at home, too, with Republican senators among those demanding Trump reverse course, arguing that it violates a 2022 US ban on Russian energy imports."}],[{"start":180.12,"text":"Whatever comes of Trump’s plan, it underscores the need for Europe to strengthen its own defences, reduce its reliance on Washington and hold firm on sanctions against Russia. Having failed to anticipate the impact of his “little excursion” in Iran on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump is now scrambling for a quick fix from Putin, seemingly without considering the consequences for Ukraine. It is yet another exercise in short-sighted, chaotic decision-making that risks doing lasting damage for little gain."}],[{"start":212.72,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1791861411_4002.mp3"}