Lifts Russian fuel sanctions temporarily in diesel deal

President Donald Trump’s administration announced a temporary easing of sanctions that will allow Russia to supply more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to the United States and global markets immediately, with additional shipments of 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.” The initial quantity equals about 2.25 million barrels. A U.S. Treasury license authorizes imports of Russian diesel until April 7, after sanctions on Russian oil companies were imposed in October 2025. Trump said talks with Vladimir Putin were “highly successful,” but analysts questioned whether the supply will meaningfully lower prices. U.S. diesel averaged $6.28 a gallon on Thursday; futures fell nearly 5%. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy criticized the move, calling it weak.