First shipment of Russian diesel departs for the United States

A Maltese-flagged tanker, the Agioi Fanendes, departed from the Russian Baltic port of Primorsk on October 22, 2026, carrying 40,000 metric tons of low-sulfur Russian diesel bound for New York. The shipment is expected to arrive in the United States on November 7, marking the implementation of an energy agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached during an October 9 phone call.

Following the agreement, Moscow lifted its export ban on diesel, which had been previously implemented to address domestic shortages caused by Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries. The initiative is part of an effort by the Trump administration to lower fuel prices for American consumers ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. To support this, the U.S. has postponed certain new sanctions against Russia and pressured European nations to release emergency fuel reserves.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak confirmed that Russia aims to supply 300,000 tons of diesel in October, 500,000 tons in November, and one million tons in December, depending on production capabilities. While the move has faced strong criticism from Ukraine and its allies, Russia continues to finalize contracts to ensure subsequent shipments proceed as planned.