US President Donald Trump said Friday he has agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia will supply large volumes of diesel to American and global markets, a sharp turnaround after years of US pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
Trump announced the deal on social media following what he called a “highly successful discussion” with Putin. He said Russia would deliver more than 300,000 tons immediately, 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter”, with a further 3 million tons “within a short period of time”, depending on the state of Russian refineries.
“Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority. This is a very big and important announcement,” Trump wrote.
“A big deal”
Speaking later at the White House, Trump thanked Putin by name. “That is a big deal,” he said. “We have massive amounts of oil coming into our country, and it’s diesel, which is what we want.”
Midterm pressure
The announcement comes less than a month before the Nov 3 midterm elections, with high diesel costs a political burden for Trump and the Republican Party. US diesel has averaged about $6.28 to $6.30 a gallon in recent days, close to record levels after earlier peaks above $6.50.
The US Treasury issued a temporary general license easing some sanctions on Russian oil and petroleum products until April 7, 2027, to enable the arrangement.
The Kremlin confirmed the talks, saying Russia had “reaffirmed its readiness to supply oil and petroleum products to U.S. and global markets.”
Reversal on sanctions
The move follows Trump’s signing last month of a sweeping Russia sanctions law aimed at curbing Moscow’s energy revenues, which help fund the war in Ukraine. It also comes amid global diesel shortages linked to Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries and Middle East disruptions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the decision as “a weak decision by strong partners”. He suggested that US-Ukraine negotiations on ending the war were “being used as a smokescreen.”
The White House did not immediately say who would pay for the Russian diesel or when the first shipments would reach the United States.
