Trump agrees with Putin on Russian diesel supplies: US eases sanctions restrictions
US President Donald Trump announced an agreement with Vladimir Putin that provides for the supply of millions of tons of Russian diesel fuel to the American and world markets. To implement the agreement, the US Treasury Department has permitted certain transactions with Russian diesel that were previously subject to sanctions restrictions.
Trump reported this on October 9 on the social network Truth Social. The information about the agreement and the temporary license from the US Treasury was also confirmed by Financial Times and Axios.
According to the American president, the agreement was reached during a telephone conversation with Putin, which Trump called successful. He named the main goal of the agreement as reducing the cost of diesel fuel in the US and on the international market.
Russia must supply more than 300 thousand tons of diesel in the near future, another 500 thousand tons in November, and then additionally 1 million tons.
Moreover, Moscow, according to Trump, agreed to ensure the supply of another 3 million tons of fuel as soon as possible. However, the fulfillment of this part of the agreement depends on the condition of Russian oil refineries.
Thus, the total announced supply volume may exceed 4.8 million tons of diesel fuel. At the same time, specific dates for the shipment of the last 3 million tons have not been named.
US permits operations with Russian diesel fuel
To implement the agreement, the US Treasury Department issued a temporary sanctions license. According to Financial Times, it should ensure the conduct of operations necessary for the supply of Russian diesel fuel to the world market.
This means a partial easing of the US sanctions regime regarding Russian petroleum products. At the same time, this is a special license for certain operations, not the lifting of all American sanctions against the Russian energy sector.
After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the US banned the import of Russian oil and petroleum products. Later, Washington expanded sanctions restrictions against Russian energy companies, financial institutions, and organizations involved in oil trade.
The current decision effectively creates an exception to the existing restrictions in order to increase the supply of diesel fuel. However, the exact settlement terms, list of participating companies, and distribution of supplies between the US and other countries have not yet been disclosed.
Trump expects to lower world fuel prices
The American president said that additional volumes of Russian diesel should affect the cost of fuel in the US and other countries.
Trump linked the expected price reduction not only to the agreement with Putin but also to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz—one of the most important routes for global trade in oil and petroleum products.
According to his claim, the US fully controls the Strait of Hormuz, and the increase in supplies of Russian petroleum products will allow for a rapid reduction in diesel fuel prices. There is no independent confirmation of such an assessment by the American president.
According to Financial Times, after the announcement of the agreement, wholesale diesel fuel prices in New York fell by approximately 4.5%, to $4.67 per gallon.
The high cost of diesel remains a serious problem for the American economy, as the fuel is widely used by freight carriers, agricultural enterprises, and industry.
Energy prices have also become an important domestic political issue ahead of the midterm elections to the US Congress scheduled for November 3, 2026.
Agreement reached amid problems at Russian refineries
Washington's decision is notable because the Russian oil refining industry continues to face the consequences of Ukrainian strikes on energy infrastructure.
In recent months, attacks on Russian oil refineries have led to the shutdown of individual production facilities, disruptions in the output of petroleum products, and restrictions on fuel exports.
Russian authorities previously imposed restrictions on diesel fuel exports in an attempt to provide the domestic market with the necessary volumes.
Therefore, the supply of an additional 3 million tons, provided for by the new agreement, directly depends on the ability of Russian enterprises to restore production. It is this condition that Trump specifically mentioned in his statement.
On September 21, the American president himself drew attention to the problems of the Russian oil refining industry, linking them to the ongoing war against Ukraine.
Now the US administration has decided to temporarily ease restrictions on trade in Russian diesel to increase fuel supply on the world market.
At the same time, additional export supplies could provide Russian companies with new foreign currency revenue. The volume of potential revenues will depend on the actual fuel sold, contract prices, and settlement terms.
At the time of the announcement of the agreement, there was no confirmation of the start of supplies of all declared volumes. It is also not yet known whether the agreement will receive additional conditions related to Russia's war against Ukraine.
Source: Donald Trump — Truth Social, Financial Times, Axios, US Treasury Department — OFAC.
