Fox News host Brian Kilmeade launched a blistering attack on President Donald Trump's decision to buy Russian diesel, warning that working with Vladimir Putin could become the biggest mistake of his presidency.
uncertain
working → launch → presidency
The explosive confrontation erupted live on Fox & Friends Weekend on Sunday as Kilmeade, 62, clashed with co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy over Trump's increasingly hostile relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
asserted
Kilmeade → erupt → Zelensky
Kilmeade accused Putin of being responsible for the bloodshed in Ukraine, fiercely defended Kyiv's military campaign and warned that American money flowing into Russia would benefit the very country that started the war.
'They're the bad guys,' Kilmeade declared during the heated exchange.
asserted
Kilmeade → accuse → exchange
He went even further, comparing the Russian leader to Adolf Hitler and warned that closer cooperation between Washington and Moscow could have devastating consequences.
uncertain
cooperation → go → consequences
'It would be the biggest mistake of his administration to work with Russia,' Kilmeade said.
asserted
Kilmeade → work → Russia
The extraordinary on-air disagreement came after Trump temporarily eased US sanctions on Russian diesel, triggering an international backlash and accusations that his administration was helping bankroll Moscow's war machine.
asserted
administration → come → machine
The move followed mounting pressure on global energy supplies as the conflict involving Iran sent fuel prices soaring, creating a political headache for Republicans ahead of next month's midterm elections.
asserted
conflict → follow → elections
Rachel Campos-Duffy and Brian Kilmeade, right, became embroiled in a heated on-air clash over Donald Trump's decision to buy Russian diesel, with Kilmeade fiercely defending Ukraine and blaming Vladimir Putin for the war
Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, 62, delivered a blistering attack on Trump's willingness to work with Russia, warning it could become the biggest mistake of his presidency
Trump subsequently suggested Ukraine might need a new president after Zelensky condemned the Russian fuel arrangement.
uncertain
Zelensky → embroil → arrangement
But Kilmeade was having none of it.
asserted
Kilmeade → have → it
'The president got ticked off because Zelensky came out and said, "Do not buy five hundred million tons of diesel,"' he said.
asserted
he → tick → diesel
Kilmeade argued that Zelensky was understandably furious at the prospect of additional American money entering Russia's economy while Ukrainian soldiers continued fighting Moscow's invasion.
'
asserted
soldiers → argue → invasion
There's one person who's responsible; Vladimir Putin.
asserted
who → be → ?
That is it,' he insisted.
asserted
he → insist → ?
'And he's getting his ass kicked.'
asserted
ass → get → ?
Campos-Duffy challenged that assessment, suggesting Zelensky had repeatedly undermined efforts to end the conflict by continuing Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries despite Trump's objections.
asserted
Zelensky → challenge → objections
She argued that the strikes were worsening fuel shortages and hurting the administration politically.
asserted
strikes → argue → administration
But Kilmeade rejected the suggestion that Ukraine was principally responsible for the diplomatic deadlock.
asserted
Ukraine → reject → deadlock
Donald Trump went on Fox News with Brian Kilmeade in June 2020
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Trump's decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel as a 'weak decision,' warning that the arrangement would only benefit Moscow
asserted
arrangement → go → Moscow
Trump announced an immediate 'ENERGY CEASEFIRE' between Russia and Ukraine on Sunday, claiming both countries had agreed to halt attacks, although Kyiv appeared surprised and Moscow had yet to confirm the arrangement
'
asserted
Moscow → announce → arrangement
There's no plausible, practical peace effort that Vladimir Putin would participate in effectively that would end this war,' he said.
asserted
he → be → war
The discussion grew increasingly tense when Campos-Duffy questioned whether her colleague was putting Ukrainian interests ahead of America's.
asserted
colleague → grow → America
'Are you for America or Ukraine?' she demanded.
asserted
she → demand → America
Kilmeade responded by pointing to the wider Middle East conflict, arguing that disruptions to fuel supplies had been driven by Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure in Gulf states.
asserted
disruptions → respond → states
He also praised Ukraine's technological advances in using drones to strike Russian energy facilities, describing the country's battlefield innovations as extraordinary.
asserted
He → praise → innovations
'The Ukrainians have modernized modern war before our very eyes,' he said.
asserted
he → modernize → eyes
Campos-Duffy countered by highlighting the enormous human cost of the fighting, arguing that young soldiers were dying in staggering numbers.
asserted
soldiers → counter → numbers
When she insisted Trump wanted peace in Ukraine, Kilmeade fired back: 'Tell Vladimir Putin!'
asserted
Kilmeade → insist → Putin
An employee strolls across a deserted gas station in Moscow belonging to the state-owned company Rosneft, where the only fuel available for sale is diesel
Ukrainian drone strikes against Moscow's energy infrastructure have become a source of tension between Trump and Zelensky, with Trump urging Ukraine to stop targeting the facilities
A car burns following a Russian strike on a residential neighbourhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Sunday
Campos-Duffy then suggested Trump's willingness to cooperate with Moscow might finally force a breakthrough because Zelensky had become too arrogant.
That prompted Kilmeade to fire back once again.
uncertain
That → stroll → Kilmeade
'He is the cause of all the problems in the region,' Kilmeade said of Putin, accusing Russia of helping Iran threaten American troops and military installations.
asserted
Iran → say → troops
Earlier on Sunday, Trump unexpectedly announced what he called an immediate energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
asserted
he → announce → Russia
'Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine,' the president declared on Truth Social.
asserted
president → be → Social
'Both parties have agreed.
asserted
parties → agree → ?
But the announcement immediately raised questions about whether any genuine agreement had been reached.
asserted
agreement → raise → questions
President Donald Trump has faced fierce criticism over his decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel as his administration battles soaring fuel prices
Russian President Vladimir Putin was compared to Adolf Hitler by Fox News host Brian Kilmeade, who declared: 'That's the modern Hitler of our generation.'
asserted
That → face → generation
Zelensky appeared surprised by the declaration and said he was seeking further information, although he emphasized that Ukraine supported a halt to attacks on energy infrastructure.
asserted
Ukraine → appear → infrastructure
Russia had not publicly confirmed its participation.
asserted
Russia → confirm → participation
Meanwhile, Zelensky reported that Russian strikes had hit multiple Ukrainian power facilities on Sunday, including installations in Kyiv and Kharkiv.
asserted
strikes → report → Kyiv
'Ukrainian skies have been infested with Russian 'shaheds' all day,' he said, referring to Iranian-designed attack drones widely used by Moscow.
asserted
he → infest → Moscow
The reported bombardments threatened to undermine Trump's ceasefire announcement almost immediately.
asserted
bombardments → report → announcement
European allies, including Britain, France and Germany, expressed support for efforts to halt attacks on energy infrastructure while maintaining their backing for Ukraine.
asserted
allies → include → Ukraine
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
