Russia says first diesel tanker under Trump deal will head to US on Thursday
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak put the planned first cargo at 40,000 tonnes but did not name its US destination. Analysts doubt the announced volumes will significantly ease diesel prices.
Russia plans to send its first diesel tanker to the United States on Thursday, October 22, under a deal with President Donald Trump, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday. The vessel is expected to carry 40,000 tonnes, but Novak did not identify its US destination port, Reuters reported. The shipment has been announced; its departure and delivery have not been confirmed.
The cargo would put the fuel agreement into motion as US drivers face diesel prices above $6 a gallon. The American Automobile Association put the average at $6.31 a gallon, down from $6.51 a month earlier, according to Reuters. The planned shipment is smaller than the volumes Trump previously said Russia would export.
How much diesel Russia says it will send
Novak said further shipments would follow and Russia would meet US needs to the extent of its capabilities, Reuters reported, citing remarks carried by RIA Novosti. Trump had previously described an initial 300,000 tonnes, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tonnes thereafter. Those figures describe announced plans, while Novak's 40,000-tonne figure applies to the first vessel.
Russia lifted a ban on diesel exports on October 9. The ban had been imposed to address domestic shortages after Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries, Reuters reported. Novak said the paperwork for the first cargo was nearing completion, according to media reports cited by Reuters. He did not specify which US port would receive it.
Price pressure and talks in Saint Petersburg
Analysts cited in a separate Reuters report said the announced Russian volumes were too small to meaningfully lower diesel prices. They also identified weak refining capacity, high freight costs and sanctions as potential constraints on further supplies. US retail diesel prices have stayed above $6 a gallon since topping that level in September, the report said.
US envoy Steve Witkoff said several tanker deliveries were being prepared and that a financial component should be provided, Reuters reported. He also said Russia could supply large quantities of fertiliser to the US market. Those remarks outlined a broader proposed trade relationship alongside the first diesel cargo.
Witkoff was in Saint Petersburg for face-to-face talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo, FRANCE 24 reported. He was due to return to the Norwegian capital after the Russia visit as Washington pursued talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
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Sources and context
- Russia to send first diesel tanker to the US amid Trump dealAl Jazeera, carrying Reuters reporting
- US envoy Steve Witkoff thanks Vladimir Putin for diesel deal at Ukraine talks in RussiaFRANCE 24
- Global diesel prices seen staying high despite Trump’s deal with RussiaThe Straits Times, carrying Reuters reporting
- Russia says it will send first diesel cargo to US on ThursdayCNA, carrying Reuters reporting
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.