MOSCOW — The first tanker carrying Russian diesel fuel is departing for the United States on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev announced, marking the first such shipment since the 2022 ban on Russian energy imports.
According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak, the initial shipment will consist of 40,000 tonnes of diesel, paving the way for regular deliveries. The vessel is scheduled to depart from a Russian port on October 22, with additional tankers expected to follow.
The resumption of exports follows an agreement reached on October 9 during a telephone conversation between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. During that call, the two leaders discussed the global energy situation, and Putin confirmed Russia would supply oil and petroleum products to the U.S. and global markets. Trump subsequently announced on social media that Russia had agreed to immediately provide more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the U.S. and world markets, with an additional 500,000 tonnes in November.
To facilitate the shipments, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License 135 on October 9, authorizing the sale, delivery, offloading, and importation of Russian-origin diesel into the United States through April 7, 2027. The license represents a temporary easing of sanctions that had been in place since the 2022 Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act.
The announcement of the deal has already had a market impact. According to Putin, global diesel prices fell by 5–6% immediately after the Russian-American agreement was announced. The deal comes as the U.S. has faced historically high diesel retail prices, with the national average reaching $6.2785 per gallon in September—a 70.8% year-over-year increase—driven by geopolitical conflicts, seasonal demand, and export restrictions.
However, the agreement has drawn sharp criticism from U.S. lawmakers. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), a sponsor of the 2022 Russian energy import ban, said the deal “directly violates that law” because the President did not satisfy the legal conditions required to lift the ban, including certifying that Russia has agreed to withdraw its forces from Ukraine and cease hostilities. Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) also said there is “a legitimate case for saying the president’s not following the law”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the move, stating that allowing Russia to sell petroleum products “is investing in war”
