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ROME, Oct 14 (Reuters) - ⁠The deal between the United States and Russia over diesel supply is ⁠a "very risky choice" that runs counter to efforts to force Vladimir ‌Putin to sit at a negotiating table with Ukraine, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Wednesday.

The United States and Russia agreed last week that Moscow would initially supply more than 300,000 metric ​tons of diesel to U.S. and global markets.

"The outcome ⁠of this decision is uncertain, ⁠while the risks are clear," Meloni told the Italian parliament ahead of an EU ⁠summit ‌this week.

"It provides Moscow with legitimacy as its bombs continue to fall on Ukrainian cities, generates new revenue to finance the war, and implicitly ⁠weakens the effectiveness of sanctions," she added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr ​Zelenskiy criticised the accord, ‌calling it "an investment in a war that must be ended."

U.S. President Donald ⁠Trump said it ​would lower energy prices in the United States, a major political headache for his Republican Party ahead of pivotal midterm elections that determine control of Congress.

Meloni told parliament the 27 ⁠EU countries should appoint "an authoritative figure" to negotiate ​for Europe over the Russia-Ukraine war, without ruling out a formal mandate for the E3 Group comprising Germany, France and Great Britain.

In ​other remarks, she said the EU summit would discuss ⁠what she said had been an escalation in Russian hybrid attacks, referring to drone incursions, ​cyber attacks, sabotage and other covert operations aimed ‌at weakening backing for Kyiv.

"We need to ​protect our critical infrastructure: energy grids, undersea cables, ports, airports, and the underwater domain, where Italy possesses outstanding expertise," she said.

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