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Trump’s diesel deal with Putin helped Russia double its exports — but the U.S. has yet to receive a single shipment, FT reports
Russia’s diesel exports rose sharply in October after the Trump administration pressed Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries and temporarily eased US sanctions on Russian diesel. The increase matters because it boosted Russia’s fuel sales abroad, although the promised US supply has not arrived and analysts say it is too small to lower American fuel prices.
Russia exported 271,000 barrels of diesel a day in October, compared with 135,000 in September, according to Kpler data cited by the Financial Times. Four tankers were sent to the United States under the deal with Vladimir Putin, but none had reached the US coast; exports to Brazil, Turkey and other countries also increased. Ukraine paused refinery strikes for a time, then resumed them in October.
In short
- Russian diesel exports doubled in October.
- Four tankers were sent to the US, but none had arrived.
- Analysts say the deal is unlikely to cut US fuel prices.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters could argue that temporarily easing sanctions and securing a pause in refinery attacks was a pragmatic way to pursue a limited fuel-supply deal with Russia while reducing pressure on energy markets. They may see the arrangement as a possible channel for diplomacy and a way to test whether narrowly defined cooperation can produce practical benefits.
The case against
Critics could argue that easing sanctions while asking Ukraine to pause attacks gave Russia room to expand its diesel sales without delivering the promised fuel to the United States. They may see this as weakening pressure on Moscow and risking Ukraine’s leverage for a deal whose scale, according to analysts, is too small to lower US fuel prices.
Explained simply
Russia is a major oil producer, and diesel is a fuel used by lorries, ships and some cars. Its exports can be affected by attacks on refineries, which turn crude oil into usable fuels, and by sanctions that restrict trade with Russia.
Donald Trump, the US president, and Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, are central to the reported arrangement. Ukraine has also been involved: its strikes on Russian refineries have at times disrupted fuel production, while the United States has pressed it to pause those attacks.
The issue matters because fuel sales provide Russia with income, while access to diesel can affect buyers in other countries. The United States is one potential buyer, but its fuel market is large, so a limited supply would be unlikely to make a noticeable difference to prices.