Three Russian tanker ships carrying about 300,000 barrels (around 40,000 tonnes) of diesel have departed for the United States, as Washington moves to ease a domestic fuel crunch.
The development comes after the Strait of Hormuz was reportedly shut following the Iran–US war, triggering shortages of petroleum products in international markets and pushing crude prices to record levels. In the US, diesel scarcity has led to a sharp rise in prices.
To contain inflation and stabilise supply, the US decided to import diesel from Russia. The report says Washington had earlier imposed economic sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, but later lifted those restrictions to meet its own needs. It also notes that US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Under the new agreement, the tankers left Russia’s Primorsk port and are expected to reach New York around November 7. This is described as the first diesel shipment from Russia to the US since 2023.
The deal has drawn criticism in both the US and Ukraine. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it a “weak ending to a strong friendship,” while Trump responded by saying Ukraine does not want the war with Russia to end.
