US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Russia had agreed to deliver more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel immediately for supply to the United States and international markets, as his administration seeks to bring down rising fuel prices ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
Trump announced the agreement following what he described as a “highly successful” conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said Moscow would supply an additional 500,000 metric tons of diesel in November, followed by another 1 million metric tons “immediately thereafter”.
The US Treasury Department issued a general licence on Friday authorising imports of Russian diesel until April 7, despite Washington’s sanctions on Russian energy companies imposed over the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised the deal, describing it as “an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged”. Trump said the Russian diesel supplies would help lower fuel costs for US consumers, particularly farmers, ranchers and truck drivers, amid persistently high diesel prices. He argued that allowing Russia to sell petroleum products would provide Moscow with additional revenue to finance its ongoing war against Ukraine. Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, also welcomed cooperation between the US and Russia on diesel and energy in a post on X following the leaders’ conversation.
