Trump signals post-war Russian trade as diesel tanker heads to New York
Donald Trump said the United States could expand business with Russia after the war in Ukraine ends, while a tanker carrying Russian diesel is heading to New York under a new agreement with Moscow. The arrangement marks a shift in US policy and has drawn criticism from Ukrainian officials, who say Russian fuel sales could help finance the Kremlin’s war.
The tanker is carrying about 40,000 tonnes of diesel, or roughly 300,000 barrels, and is expected to arrive on 7 November. It would be the first Russian diesel shipment to the US since July 2023, but represents only about 7% of the 4 million barrels of diesel consumed there each day. Trump also said a US-Ukraine natural resources agreement could be worth up to $1 trillion.
In short
- Trump says US-Russia business could grow after the Ukraine war.
- A Russian diesel tanker is bound for New York.
- The shipment is about 7% of daily US diesel use.
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The case for
If the war ends, expanded trade with Russia could help turn a ceasefire into a more durable peace by creating practical incentives for stable relations. The shipment is small relative to US diesel consumption, and supporters may argue that limited commerce can serve US energy and economic interests without materially affecting the war, particularly if it occurs under an agreement with Moscow.
The case against
Renewed trade risks giving Russia revenue and a sign of normalisation before there is confidence that the war has ended or that peace will hold. Ukrainian officials’ concern is that fuel sales can help finance the Kremlin, while even a modest shipment may weaken pressure on Moscow and undercut efforts to isolate it.
Explained simply
The war in Ukraine began in 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion. The United States and other countries imposed restrictions on trade with Russia, including measures affecting its energy exports, while providing support to Ukraine.
Donald Trump is the US president, and his government’s approach to trade with Russia could affect how those restrictions are applied. Ukraine’s government has opposed sales that bring Russia revenue, arguing that money from energy exports can help fund the war.
Diesel is a fuel used by lorries, machinery and other vehicles. The shipment described is small compared with US daily use, while the proposed US-Ukraine agreement concerns access to natural resources; both issues sit within wider discussions about trade, support for Ukraine and the post-war relationship with Russia.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Trump eyes even more business with Russia after Ukraine war ends…as Moscow diesel tanker heads for US port”.