WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Friday that Russia will release millions of tons of diesel fuel into the global market following discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, prompting the U.S. government to temporarily ease energy sanctions on Moscow.
According to a post by Trump on Truth Social, the agreement entails Russia delivering more than 4 million tons of diesel, CNBC reported. Under the framework outlined by the president, Moscow will supply more than 300,000 tons immediately, 500,000 tons in November, and 1 million tons shortly thereafter, with an additional 3 million tons dependent on the operational status of Russian refineries.
To accommodate the shipments, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a general license Friday granting a temporary sanctions exemption. The waiver authorizes the sale, delivery, offloading and importation of Russian-origin diesel into the United States and global markets through 12:01 a.m. EDT on April 7, 2027, NBC News reported.
In a separate statement cited by NBC News, Putin confirmed that he conveyed Moscow’s readiness to provide petroleum products to international and U.S. buyers, though the Russian leader did not specify delivery dates or shipment volumes.
Energy markets responded immediately following the announcement. Diesel futures dropped 4 percent on Friday, though prices remain up by more than 110 percent since the start of the year, according to NBC News. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil dipped 0.3 percent to approximately $104 per barrel.
Mounting pressure over energy prices
The policy move comes as the Trump administration confronts intense political fallout from soaring fuel expenses ahead of the November midterm elections. With competitive races unfolding in agricultural regions such as Iowa, elevated diesel costs have placed heavy burdens on farmers and shipping networks, CNBC noted.
Global fuel capacity has tightened substantially following refinery disruptions in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. NBC News reported that diesel costs have jumped nearly 70 percent since the conflict involving Iran began in February. Furthermore, following Ukrainian drone strikes against energy infrastructure earlier this year, the Kremlin imposed a diesel export ban in July that was extended through October.
The agreement marks Trump’s latest effort to ease consumer price pressure. The Treasury Department previously issued 30-day waivers for Russian oil at sea during the spring, and the president signed an executive order earlier this week permitting truckers to temporarily use off-road diesel on public highways, according to reporting from CNBC and NBC News.
Sharp condemnation from Ukraine
Ukrainian officials voiced fierce opposition to the sanctions waiver within hours of the announcement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized the agreement as “an obvious weakness” that rewards Russian aggression, NBC News reported.
“Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world,” Zelenskyy said in a social media statement cited by CNBC. “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.”
Earlier Friday, Zelenskyy met in Kyiv with a visiting delegation of U.S. senators, urging American officials to cut off financial channels supporting the Russian military, NBC News reported. Trump had publicly urged Ukrainian leaders in recent weeks to stop targeting Russian refineries, asserting that the strikes were driving up international fuel prices.
Uncertainty over planned talks
The sanctions relief coincided with the departure of Ukrainian negotiators bound for the U.S. for discussions intended to address the conflict. Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner had been scheduled to lead the diplomatic talks, NBC News reported.
It remained unclear late Friday whether those negotiations will proceed as scheduled in the wake of Ukraine’s sharp objections to the new energy waiver.
