US President Donald Trump publicly thanked Russia for the agreement to supply millions of barrels of diesel fuel, which is needed to bring down prices on the American market. His statement came against the backdrop of intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine. On 10 October, Russian forces launched a fresh missile strike on Kyiv. According to preliminary reports, «Zircon» missiles may have been used during the attack. Moscow continues to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the run-up to the heating season.
- Trump thanked Russia for the agreement on diesel.
- Moscow has promised to supply over 4.8 million tonnes of fuel.
- On 10 October, Russia launched another missile attack on Kyiv.
- Russian strikes pose a threat to Ukraine’s energy sector.
Trump thanked Russia for supplying diesel fuel
During a speech in the US Donald Trump commented again agreement from Vladimir Putin regarding supplies of Russian petroleum products. The US President emphasised that the country needs additional supplies of diesel given the high fuel prices.
«By the way, Russia has agreed today to send us millions and millions of barrels of fuel. And it’s diesel — exactly what we need right now. So thank you,» said Trump.
The day before, on 9 October, the US President reported having had an «extremely successful» telephone conversation with Putin. Following this, he announced a plan to supply over 4.8 million tonnes of Russian diesel fuel to the US and global markets.
The agreement involves several stages:
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Over 300,000 tonnes — in the near future.
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500,000 tonnes — during November.
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1 million tonnes — following the November deliveries.
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A further 3 million tonnes — over a short period, taking into account the capacity of Russian refineries.
The volumes stated are, for the time being, merely planned deliveries rather than confirmed shipments of fuel.
Whilst Washington is negotiating with Moscow, Russia is attacking Kyiv
On the afternoon of 10 October, following the announcement of the agreement between Trump and Putin, Russian troops carried out a new missile attack towards the Ukrainian capital. According to the latest information from monitoring channels, Russia may have fired four «Zircon» missiles.
It is understood that some of the missiles were intercepted by air defence forces. The mayor Vitali Klitschko reported on the consequences of debris falling in the Obolon district. In one instance, debris from the downed missile struck a restaurant building; in another, it fell into the courtyard of a residential block.
The attack took place against the backdrop of Russian strikes on energy infrastructure in Kyiv and the surrounding region. Damage to energy facilities in the capital has led to disruptions to the electricity supply, water supply and the operation of electric transport.
The US has eased sanctions against Russian diesel
On 9 October, the US Department of the Treasury issued General Licence No. 135, which temporarily permits certain transactions involving Russian diesel fuel, including its sale, delivery and import into the United States.
The authorisation will remain in force until 7 April 2027. However, it does not revoke all US sanctions against Russia, but instead creates an exception for specific transactions involving diesel fuel.
The Trump administration justifies the agreement by citing the need to reduce the cost of diesel, which is widely used by American farmers, hauliers and industrial enterprises.
Energy analysts doubt that additional Russian supplies will be able to bring about a significant and lasting reduction in prices. The global fuel market continues to suffer from a shortage of refining capacity and disruptions to international logistics.
Zelenskyy described the easing of sanctions as a gift to Putin
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has sharply criticised Washington’s decision. In his view, the additional revenue from Russian fuel exports could be used by the Kremlin to fund the war. The Ukrainian president described the easing of sanctions without any concrete agreements on ending Russian shelling as a weak decision by strong partners.
At the same time, Kyiv has proposed that the US help bring about a mutual cessation of attacks on energy infrastructure. Ukraine is prepared to refrain from attacking Russian oil refineries if Russia stops shelling Ukrainian power stations and other energy facilities. However, no agreement on such a truce has yet been reached.
