500,000 Tonnes of Russian Diesel Set Sail for US East Coast
Three tankers departed under a new deal that lifts US sanctions in exchange for fuel supplies, coinciding with a local ceasefire in Oleshky.
By Thiago Kovalenko ·
US President Donald Trump announced a deal this month to bring Russian diesel into American and global markets, a move designed to lower fuel prices for consumers. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak confirmed on Friday that the first physical shipments have begun moving toward the Atlantic.
Novak stated that three fuel tankers are already traveling to the eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean. He noted that the Russian Direct Investment Fund is providing support for these initial deliveries. The agreement allows Russian companies to supply 500,000 metric tonnes of fuel in October. In return for this supply, the United States agreed to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian fuel.
Reuters reported details on one of the vessels, the Malta-flagged Agioi Fanendes. The ship carries ultra-low sulphur diesel and is expected to arrive in the United States on November 7. This marks the first time Russian diesel has entered the US market under this specific sanctions waiver.
The fuel movement coincides with a diplomatic pause in the war in Ukraine. The White House announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a ceasefire in the occupied city of Oleshky. Both sides will halt military operations in the city starting October 27. This pause allows aid workers to deliver supplies and prepare for the evacuation of civilians.
Oleshky has been under Russian control since February 2022. An estimated 2,000 people remain in the city, facing severe shortages of food, water, and electricity. Residents described conditions as desperate, with some surviving on weeds, boiled grass, and limited rations. The ceasefire aims to provide a window to relieve this humanitarian crisis.
US, Russian, and Ukrainian negotiators have agreed to hold technical meetings in Abu Dhabi during the first half of November. A US official indicated that another meeting could occur in a couple of weeks, possibly in Switzerland. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that a meeting of national leaders would follow these technical discussions. The diplomatic push follows recent tensions between Washington and Kyiv, including US limits on the Starlink communication system used by Ukraine for defense.
