Trump-Putin ‘diesel deal’ scores first success ... tanker carrying Russian diesel heads for New York, breaking 2022 sanctions

[Financial News] Two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin abruptly agreed on diesel supplies, the first tanker carrying Russian diesel set sail for the United States. The move officially breaks the ban on Russian energy imports imposed by the administration of then-U.S. President Joe Biden immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
According to foreign media outlets including the Associated Press on the 23rd (local time), an analysis of data from market research firm London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and maritime intelligence provider Kpler found that the previous day, the Malta-flagged tanker Agioi Fanendes departed Russia’s port of Primorsk carrying 40,000 tons of ultra-low-sulfur diesel. The tanker is expected to arrive in New York, U.S., on the 7th of next month.
The Kremlin also officially confirmed the departure that day. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “The first oil tanker has begun its voyage to customers, and regular supplies will continue.” Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak added that further shipments would follow as supply contracts between companies in the two countries take shape.
The sudden rapprochement between the United States and Russia reflects the convergence of urgent domestic political and economic pressures in both countries. Facing midterm elections on the 3rd of next month, President Trump played the card of easing sanctions on Russia to stabilize domestic diesel prices, which had soared in the wake of the Iran war. President Putin, too, lifted the ban on diesel exports imposed because of worsening domestic oil conditions, reopening the U.S. market.
The first shipment being imported, 40,000 tons, is equivalent to about 300,000 barrels, or roughly 7% of U.S. daily diesel consumption of 4 million barrels. Trump previously said on social media on the 9th that “Russia has agreed to immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, export an additional 500,000 tons in November, and then another 1 million tons right after.” He also declared that, depending on the condition of Russian refineries, the supply volume could rise to as much as 3 million tons in the short term.
[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter