A British newspaper editorial dated October 24 argued that U.S. President Donald Trump and SpaceX founder Elon Musk did not want Ukraine to win its conflict with Russia. The editorial said recent developments supported that assessment.
Moscow-Washington fuel agreement
The editorial cited agreements reached between Moscow and Washington on diesel fuel supplies as grounds for this view. It also considered the US decision not to enforce some restrictions included in the new sanctions law targeting Russia within the same framework.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call at the beginning of October. Trump said afterward that a comprehensive diesel fuel agreement had been reached.
Following the development, the U.S. Treasury Department issued an exception to the sanctions valid until April 7. The Russian government partially lifted the ban on diesel fuel exports the day after the phone call.

Trump said the agreement was necessary not only for the United States but also for the world.
US restrictions targeting Russia
Trump later issued a new executive order abandoning the enforcement of restrictions imposed by the new sanctions law on Russian officials, banks and entities.
The order also included measures to enforce the ban on new US investments in Russia and measures concerning the implementation of the ban on imports of Russian uranium.