US President Donald Trump says Russia will supply millions of tonnes of diesel to the United States and global markets after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a post on social media, Trump said Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and another one million tonnes “immediately thereafter”.
He added that Russia could deliver a further three million tonnes within a short period, depending on the condition of its diesel refineries.
The Kremlin confirmed the two leaders discussed energy. Putin said Russia was ready to supply oil and oil products to the US and global markets, but his statement did not confirm Trump’s specific delivery volumes or schedule.
The White House did not immediately say who would pay for the diesel or when the shipments would arrive.
Trump said the supplies, together with what he described as US “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz, would drive diesel prices down quickly.
US eases restrictions on Russian diesel
The US Treasury Department issued a temporary licence allowing Russian diesel to be supplied to global markets.
The move follows years of US restrictions on Russian energy exports imposed after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The announcement comes as diesel prices remain high amid disruptions to global fuel supplies linked to the war involving Iran.
US diesel futures fell after Trump’s announcement, but analysts cautioned that the promised volumes may not significantly lower prices.
Reuters reported that the initial 300,000-tonne shipment is equivalent to about 2.25 million barrels, while the US exports about 1.5 million barrels of diesel each day.
One analyst described the shipment as an additional supply stream for a tight market, rather than a fix for high prices.
Russia, formerly a major diesel exporter, has restricted exports since July as it deals with domestic demand and repeated Ukrainian attacks on its oil refineries.
The International Energy Agency estimates that Russian diesel output has fallen by about 30 per cent.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised the move, saying that easing restrictions would benefit Moscow while its war against Ukraine continued.
Trump did not address the war or sanctions in his announcement.
