Russian diesel shipment to U.S. begins

Russia plans to send its first diesel shipment to the United States on Thursday, October 22, according to Alexander Novak, the Russian deputy prime minister, as reported by the newspaper Vedomosti. The ship will carry 40,000 metric tons of diesel, marking the first direct delivery of Russian diesel to the U.S. market.

Trump-Putin agreement on diesel

President Donald Trump reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the beginning of the month for the immediate delivery of 300,000 tons of diesel to the American and global markets. The agreement initially covers a total of 2.22 million barrels, which is slightly more than half a day of U.S. diesel consumption.

U.S. diesel consumption and future deliveries

The United States consumes 3.9 million barrels of diesel per day. According to Trump, Russia has committed to delivering three million tons of diesel within a short period. Moscow would provide an additional 500,000 tons in November, and then another million tons "immediately after," Trump said, adding that other deliveries would depend on the state of Russian refineries damaged by Ukrainian attacks.

Sanctions lifted and Ukrainian reaction

Ukraine and its European allies were surprised by Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel. Trump also sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting that Ukrainians should "acquire a new leader who can reach an agreement" for peace with Moscow. This statement has drawn significant attention and concern from Ukrainian officials and their Western allies.