Washington grants temporary sanctions relief for Russian diesel
Shafaq News- Washington/ Moscow
The US Treasury Department on Friday authorized Russian diesel exports to global markets under a temporary sanctions exemption, following a telephone conversation between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on measures to ease energy prices.
At Trump’s direction, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a temporary general license allowing Russian diesel to enter international markets immediately.
Trump disclosed on Truth Social that Moscow had agreed to supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, another 500,000 tons in November, and one million tons afterward, followed by an additional three million tons within a short period, depending on the condition of Russia’s refineries.
He predicted that the arrangement, alongside Washington’s “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz, would rapidly lower fuel prices, particularly benefiting American farmers, ranchers, and truckers.
Moscow acknowledged discussing energy supplies during the call, with Putin reaffirming Russia’s readiness to provide oil and petroleum products to US and international markets, according to a Kremlin statement carried by TASS.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the sanctions relief, warning that easing pressure on Moscow without commitments to reduce hostilities would strengthen its ability to continue the war against Ukraine.
“Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must be ended, not prolonged,” Zelenskyy argued, urging Washington to make the exemption conditional on reciprocal measures to halt attacks on energy infrastructure.
Peace never comes through weakness. Today, representatives of the U.S. Congress were in Kyiv – a bipartisan delegation – and I am grateful to them for visiting Ukraine at such a difficult time. They asked: what is needed to end the war? The answer must be strong. There must be sanctions under the Lindsey Graham bill, there must be support for Ukraine in protecting lives, and there must be pressure on Russia for its war. And today, there was a conversation between the leaders of America and Russia. A conversation that leads to something different. Recently, there was a European decision to lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs. Since then, Russian strikes and the torment of people have only increased. This past week alone, there was a brutal Russian missile strike on a residential building in Pryluky, aerial bombs were dropped on Kramatorsk – on ordinary city buses – and there have been constant attacks on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure and on the life-sustaining infrastructure in Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, and our other cities. Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds wounded. The Russians are compensating for their inability to achieve their objectives on the battlefield with this kind of terror. This year, Russia is weaker on the battlefield than at any other point in the war. That is why Putin is relying on terror. That is why he is relying on attempts to strike backroom deals to secure some form of pressure relief for Russia, in order to buy more time and more opportunities for war. Any easing of sanctions against Russia without a clear and lasting de-escalation agreement with Russia is an obvious weakness. It plays into Russia’s hands – allowing it to kill more, wage war for longer, have even less respect for America, and inflict even greater losses and damage on the world. Ukraine is ready to take symmetrical de-escalatory steps, and the American team knows our position. Our strikes on Russian oil refineries and other oil facilities are a response to Russia’s years-long campaign of terror against Ukraine’s energy sector. Ukraine will not set Russian oil refineries on fire if Russia does not destroy our energy infrastructure. This is the kind of agreement we are proposing to America, and we believe the United States has enough power to achieve such a compromise. Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world. 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. What is needed is real de-escalation with Russia on a reciprocal basis. We count on America’s fair support for our defense of life, for our defense of people in Ukraine – and on the United States having a correspondingly strong conversation with Russia. A strong one, not a weak one.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 9, 2026
He proposed suspending Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries and other oil facilities in exchange for Moscow ending attacks on Ukraine’s energy network, favoring a negotiated arrangement over unilateral concessions.
Global diesel supplies remain tight, with US distillate inventories, including diesel and heating oil, falling to approximately 105.14 million barrels, well below the five-year seasonal range.
Washington has pursued additional measures to ease the shortage. Earlier this month, Trump ruled out restrictions on US diesel exports after G7 governments agreed to release up to 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil from emergency reserves over four months.
