U.S. President Donald Trump announced on the 9th (local time) that he had reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to supply over 300,000 tons of Russian diesel fuel to the U.S. and global markets on a large scale. In line with this, the Trump administration announced temporary sanctions relief measures against Russia, allowing for the import of Russian diesel into the United States.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy fiercely criticized the “diesel deal” between Trump and Putin, calling it a “birthday gift for Putin.”
President Trump stated on the social media platform TruthSocial on that day, “I just concluded a very successful discussion with President Putin.
Russia agreed to immediately supply over 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to the U.S. and global markets, an additional 500,000 tons in November, and 1 million tons shortly thereafter.”
He added, “Russia will subsequently supply an additional 3 million tons of diesel fuel in the short term, taking into account the condition of its domestic diesel refineries.”
The total volume of Russian diesel fuel supply announced by President Trump amounts to 4.8 million tons. President Trump claimed that global diesel prices would fall rapidly due to U.S. control of the Strait of Hormuz and the supply of Russian energy.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced on this day that it is issuing a temporary general license allowing the supply of Russian diesel fuel to the global market.
According to documents released by the Treasury Department, import transactions involving Russian diesel fuel, including sales, delivery, unloading, and import into the United States, are permitted until April 6 of next year. The United States has imposed sanctions banning the import of Russian energy since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
This measure temporarily permits the trading of Russian diesel fuel by partially lifting the sanctions.
Reuters and other news outlets reported on the 9th (local time) that Russia has stated it is prepared to supply additional diesel fuel to the United States and other countries as early as this month.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on the same day, following a phone call between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, that “Russia will immediately begin lifting restrictions on diesel exports.”
According to Deputy Prime Minister Novak, Russia can supply 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to the global market in October, and export volumes are expected to increase further in November and December as refineries complete maintenance and resume operations.
Some observers point out that as President Trump partially eases sanctions against Russia to secure a supply of Russian diesel, the U.S. stance of pressuring Russia over the war in Ukraine may be weakening.
Domestic diesel prices have surged by approximately 70% since the start of the war against Iran, increasing the burden on households and fueling growing dissatisfaction with the Trump administration.
With inflation becoming a pressing issue for President Trump ahead of the November midterm elections, this measure is interpreted as an attempt to instill hope for energy price stability in order to quell worsening public sentiment caused by high oil prices.
Upon hearing the news of the transit agreement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the transit deal between the U.S. and Russia as a “war investment” that paves the way for a prolonged war.
On that day, Zelenskyy stated via X (formerly Twitter), “The gift to Putin will neither bring peace nor provide any benefit to the civilized world. Russia will repay the transit deal with more terror and acts of betrayal.
” He further argued, “Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is tantamount to investing in prolonging a war that must end.”
