Putin agrees to supply diesel to US, global markets: Trump

Trump Says Russia Will Expand Diesel Supplies to US and World Markets

Thebangladaily.com – US President Donald Trump says Russia has agreed to send substantial diesel volumes to the United States and other markets, a step he presented as part of an effort to curb sharply higher fuel costs before the US midterm elections.

Trump announced the arrangement after discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the first shipments would begin immediately. The move comes alongside a temporary easing of war-related restrictions affecting Russian fuel exports, despite continuing opposition from Ukraine and concern over Moscow’s 2022 invasion of its neighbour.

Fuel has become an increasingly prominent political and economic issue in the United States after petrol and diesel prices surged following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran in late February. The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy transit routes, and its disruption followed US and Israeli strikes on Tehran.

Planned diesel deliveries

In a social media message posted on Friday, October 9, Trump said Russia would initially make more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel available for the United States and international buyers. He said the supply would increase to 500,000 tonnes in November and then reach one million tonnes.

The president added that Moscow had indicated it could provide still larger fuel volumes later. The Kremlin separately said Russia had again confirmed its willingness to export oil and refined petroleum products to the US and worldwide markets.

“Reducing fuel prices for Americans, especially our great farmers, ranchers and truck drivers, is my highest priority,” Trump wrote.

Diesel costs are particularly important for freight transport, agriculture and other industries that depend on heavy equipment. Higher diesel prices can raise operating expenses for truckers and farmers and can eventually add to the cost of goods moving through supply chains.

The US Treasury Department issued a temporary licence on Friday that permits Russian diesel supplies to reach global markets through April 2027. The licence represents a significant change in the pressure campaign imposed by the United States and its allies after Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Prices rise after Strait of Hormuz disruption

Regular petrol prices in the United States have increased by more than 46 percent since late February, reaching an average of $4.37 per gallon. Diesel prices have risen even more dramatically during the same period, climbing 67 percent to $6.28 per gallon.

Trump has attributed part of the increase to Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries. Yet the wider disruption caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran has become the central pressure point for global energy supplies, particularly after Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz.

Energy markets are highly sensitive to interruptions along major shipping routes because oil and refined products are transported across long distances before reaching refineries, distributors and consumers. Reduced movement through the Strait of Hormuz has affected expectations about available supplies, contributing to higher prices beyond the Middle East.

The proposed Russian diesel shipments are intended to add fuel to markets facing supply strain. Whether consumers see rapid relief will depend on the timing of deliveries, distribution arrangements and broader developments affecting global oil production and shipping.

Ukraine objects to sanctions relief

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly criticised the decision to allow additional Russian fuel sales, arguing that it sends the wrong message while the war continues.

“This is certainly not an honest act, certainly undignified for our partners and, in my view, a weak decision,” Zelensky told reporters.

Ukraine has repeatedly urged its partners to maintain pressure on Moscow through sanctions and other restrictions. Successive rounds of measures by the United States, European countries and other allies have sought to limit Russia’s financial resources and its ability to sustain the war.

The diesel arrangement highlights the difficult balance between those measures and the immediate economic concern over energy affordability. Trump’s Republican Party faces the prospect of losing control of Congress in the midterm elections, with voter frustration over the cost of living posing a major challenge.

Diplomatic contacts continue in Miami

The fuel announcement arrived as Ukrainian and US negotiators met in Miami on Friday for renewed discussions aimed at overcoming the stalemate in the war. The talks were part of a broader Washington effort to identify a path toward de-escalation before winter.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff described the discussions as constructive. He said the participants examined possible ways to reduce tensions and bring the conflict with Russia to an end.

Witkoff, a longtime Trump ally, and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, travelled to Moscow and Kyiv last month. The Miami session followed those visits as the United States sought to revive negotiations that have so far produced limited progress.

For Washington, the parallel pursuit of diplomacy and cheaper fuel illustrates the interconnected pressures surrounding the conflict: the war remains unresolved, sanctions policy is under scrutiny, and disruptions in global energy markets are being felt directly by American households and businesses.