Anabelle Colaco
13 Oct 2026

WASHINGTON D.C.: Russia will supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to the United States and global markets immediately under an agreement announced by President Donald Trump, as his administration temporarily eases sanctions on Russian fuel.

Trump said that another 500,000 tons would be supplied in November, followed by a further 1 million tons "immediately thereafter." Additional supplies would follow "based on the condition of their diesel refineries," which have been damaged by Ukrainian attacks.

The initial shipment is equivalent to about 2.25 million barrels of fuel. The US exports about 1.5 million barrels of diesel per day.

The US Treasury Department issued a license allowing imports of Russian diesel until April 7. Washington imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies in October 2025 over Moscow's war in Ukraine, which began in 2022.

Trump said on social media that he had a "highly successful" discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin that resulted in the agreement. Following the call, Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev praised cooperation between Russia and the US in a post on X.

Dmitriev had asked US officials during a visit to Washington last month to grant all major Russian oil companies licenses to export diesel to the US, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The agreement comes as diesel prices, which affect agriculture, home heating and trucking, remain near a record ahead of the November 3 congressional elections. Average US diesel prices reached $6.28 a gallon on Thursday, according to the AAA motorist group.

Diesel prices have risen 70% since the US and Israel launched the war with Iran on February 28. The wars in Iran and Ukraine have caused a severe global fuel supply crunch.

US diesel futures fell almost 5% following news of the agreement and were trading at $4.64 a gallon.

"Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority," Trump said.

Analysts, however, questioned whether the Russian supplies would produce a sustained decline in prices.

"I cannot overstate how much of a nothing burger this is," Rory Johnston, an oil market researcher and founder of CommodityContext.com, said on X, adding that Russia normally exports much more diesel than the volumes covered by the agreement when its refinery fleet is not under attack.

"It's clearly not a fix, but another stream to aid a very tight diesel market," said Jim Mitchell, an analyst at consultancy Wood Mackenzie.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy criticized the agreement as a "weak decision on the part of strong partners."

"Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world. Russia will 'repay' the diesel with further terror and perfidy," he said on X.

Republican US Representative Don Bacon also criticized the move.

"Now is the time to use those sanctions to squeeze Putin's war machine, not reward a dictator by putting more money in his hands while he continues targeting and killing Ukrainian civilians," Bacon said on X.

The diesel exports could provide Moscow with billions of dollars in revenue that could help Putin continue the war with Ukraine.

Separately, three industry sources said Trump is expected to issue a directive in the coming days instructing some US department heads to find ways to control diesel prices. The directive could push officials to find ways around local and state regulations blocking energy production and use the Defense Production Act to increase oil and fuel output.

The White House has been considering how to use the law to expand refining capacity as the war with Iran exposes US vulnerability to supply disruptions and price spikes.