Russia restarts diesel exports after a deal with Trump

Background

US President Donald Trump said on Oct 9 that Vladimir Putin agreed to release Russian diesel to the US and global markets. The deal required Trump to lift some US sanctions he had imposed on Russia himself.

United States

Trump wants lower diesel prices before the US midterm elections on Nov 3, 2026.

Russian diesel promised

• 300,000 tonnes immediately
• 500,000 tonnes in November
• 1 million tonnes after that

Trump said Russia would supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately, 500,000 in November and 1 million after that. US energy data show that is less than four days of demand for US transport.

Diesel on the first tanker

40,000 tonnes

A tanker carrying about 40,000 tonnes of diesel left the Baltic port of Primorsk on Oct 13, headed for Morocco, shipping data show.

“It’s not just about the diesel deal; there are many other opportunities for economic and investment cooperation with the U.S.”

— Kirill Dmitriev, Kremlin envoy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European officials and some Republicans criticized the deal. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called it a “very risky choice” that works against pressure on Putin to negotiate peace.