President Donald Trump said Russia agreed to supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, plus additional volumes later, and the US temporarily eased sanctions to allow the sales amid high fuel prices before midterm elections.
President Donald Trump announced Friday that he had reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia to supply diesel fuel to US and global markets, with more than 300,000 metric tons to be delivered immediately.
Additional volumes of 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons thereafter were mentioned, with further amounts depending on the condition of Russian refineries damaged by Ukrainian strikes.
The US Treasury issued a temporary general license authorizing transactions involving Russian-origin diesel through April 7, 2027, reversing years of sanctions aimed at limiting Moscow's war revenues.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the arrangement as a gift to Putin that could prolong the conflict, while analysts questioned whether the volumes would meaningfully lower US diesel prices near $6 per gallon.
The Kremlin confirmed readiness to supply oil products, and the deal came amid ongoing discussions related to the Ukraine war and high energy costs ahead of US midterm elections.
People Sentiments Mixed
- Trump described the talks as highly successful and predicted rapid price drops
- Zelenskyy called the decision weak and said Ukraine was being used as a front
- Analysts expressed skepticism about significant market impact