The first tanker loaded with diesel fuel will depart from Russia to the United States on Thursday, as part of a recently signed agreement between the governments of the two countries, announced the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia. Alexander Novak told the press in St. Petersburg, Russia's main port on the Baltic Sea, that the first tanker vessel will sail tomorrow, October 22, towards the USA.
Novak emphasized that this first tanker is carrying a total volume of 40 thousand tons and assured that subsequent deliveries would follow. He stated that in accordance with the agreement between the two countries, they would meet the US demand for diesel fuel within their capabilities.
He added that the process of signing the supply agreement between the two nations is in its final stages. Novak noted that currently, Russia is exporting not the total volume, but only what corresponds to the capacity of its oil refineries. According to him, reaching the planned level will only happen by the end of the year, after which other countries will also begin receiving previous volumes of diesel fuel.
On the same day, a US representative, Steve Witkoff, thanked Russian Head of State Vladimir Putin on behalf of US President Donald Trump during a meeting held in St. Petersburg for the Russian government's decision to supply diesel fuel to their country.
Recent attacks by Ukraine on Russian oil refineries in recent months have negatively affected gasoline and diesel fuel production, causing a fuel shortage in Russia, which has impacted price increases and long queues at gas stations. Just a month ago, Novak himself instructed the government to increase production and determine fuel import levels to stabilize the domestic market.
Among the measures taken was the ban on exporting gasoline and diesel fuel, which was partially lifted to ensure compliance with the agreement signed by Putin and Trump. Thus, Russia is immediately exporting over 300 thousand tons of diesel fuel to the markets of the USA and the world, plus another 500 thousand tons in November and one million tons later.
Earlier, Novak indicated that Russia could even accelerate these plans by exporting about 3.5 million tons of diesel fuel by the end of the year under the agreement with the USA—a volume equivalent to more than 10% of the global market. Furthermore, the Russian President stated that Moscow is ready to export 'large volumes' of fertilizers to the North American market. Putin noted that Trump expressed US interest in purchasing Russian fertilizers during phone calls.