Russian Diesel Tankers Head to US After Trump-Putin Deal

Three tankers carrying Russian diesel have departed from the port of Primorsk, bound for North America, marking the first such delivery to the United States since 2023. Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced the development, stating Moscow is resuming fuel supplies to the US under a new import agreement. The shipment follows a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin approximately two weeks prior, where a diesel deal was announced. Trump reportedly seeks to ease high fuel prices in the US ahead of midterm elections.

Novak confirmed to Reuters that the "first three fuel tankers are already on their way to the eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean," with support from the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). Marine intelligence firm Kpler noted that one of the tankers signaled its destination as New York, with an expected arrival on November 7. The initial consignment consists of three tankers transporting around 40,000 tonnes of diesel, which equates to approximately 300,000 barrels, according to Russia’s Interfax news agency, citing Novak. This volume represents roughly 7 percent of the four million barrels of diesel the US consumes daily, as reported by the Associated Press.

Earlier this week, Novak indicated that Russian companies could supply 500,000 metric tonnes of diesel to the US in October. Trump, during the agreement's announcement, had outlined a supply schedule: over 300,000 tonnes immediately, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November, and then one million tonnes thereafter. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also confirmed the departure of the first shipment, assuring that regular supplies would continue to customers.

The agreement has drawn criticism from both the US and Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the move as a "weak decision by strong partners," while lawmakers from both Republican and Democratic parties voiced opposition. This resumption of diesel supplies represents a shift in the Trump administration’s stance on Russian energy trade, coming after Trump signed a sanctions package last month that included provisions for tariffs up to 100 percent on major purchasers of Russian energy. These measures were subsequently put on hold, amidst deteriorating relations between Trump and Zelensky, with the US President accusing his Ukrainian counterpart of not wanting to end the war with Russia.

What to watch: The arrival of the tankers and further political reactions to the ongoing fuel supplies.

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