President Donald Trump announced Friday that he had reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin for more than 4.8 million tons of Russian diesel, a dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward Moscow as Washington seeks to ease soaring fuel prices ahead of the November midterm elections.
The announcement came just weeks after Trump signed sweeping sanctions legislation targeting Russia's energy sector over its war in Ukraine, raising questions about Washington's commitment to maintaining economic pressure on the Kremlin.
Gallery
Trump strikes deal for over 4.8 million tons of Russian diesel despite sanctions
(Photo: AP Photo/Alex Brandon, shutterstock, Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Trump said Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons shortly afterward. An additional 3 million tons would be delivered within a relatively short period, he said.
"Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority," Trump wrote on social media.
Shortly after the announcement, the U.S. Treasury Department issued a temporary license easing sanctions on Russian diesel exports. The authorization allows Russian diesel loaded onto tankers as of Friday to be supplied to global markets without triggering U.S. sanctions until April 2027.
The White House did not immediately clarify who would pay for the shipments, when the fuel would become available or whether deliveries scheduled for November would arrive before the November 3 elections.
The agreement comes as the war in Iran continues to disrupt global energy markets. According to AAA, the average price of diesel in the United States reached $6.23 per gallon Friday, after hitting a record $6.52 on September 22.
Zelensky: ‘Gifts to Putin will not bring peace’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sharply condemned the agreement, warning that increased Russian energy revenues would help Moscow finance its continued war against Ukraine.
"Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilised world," Zelensky wrote on X.
"Russia will 'repay' the diesel with further terror and perfidy. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged. What is needed is real de-escalation with Russia on a reciprocal basis," he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
(Photo: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
The Kremlin said the Trump-Putin phone call focused on prospects for resolving the war in Ukraine and also addressed developments in Iran.
Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev welcomed the agreement, saying cooperation between Moscow and Washington on diesel and energy would benefit the world.
The announcement also drew criticism from Democrats. Rep. Don Beyer, the senior House Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee, called the decision "infuriating" and accused Trump of undermining sanctions intended to weaken Russia's war economy.
The latest Treasury authorization follows several temporary exemptions granted to Russian energy shipments since the outbreak of the Iran war. However, it marks a more substantial relaxation of restrictions, extending beyond the shorter waivers previously issued.
For Moscow, the agreement offers an opportunity to expand energy revenues despite Western sanctions. For Kyiv, it represents a potentially damaging reversal of efforts to constrain Russia's ability to finance its invasion.