President Donald Trump said Friday that he reached a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to boost global diesel supplies, seeking to bring down soaring fuel prices just weeks before the midterm elections.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel “to the American and Global Marketplace,” followed by another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons shortly afterward.
Russia would then deliver an additional 3 million tons within a short period, depending on the condition of its refineries, Trump said.
Trump predicted that the Russian supplies, along with U.S. control of the Strait of Hormuz, would send diesel prices “COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!”
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He did not say whether he offered Putin anything in return.
Shortly after the announcement, the Treasury Department said it was issuing a temporary license allowing Russian diesel to reach global markets, including into the U.S. through April.
The White House referred to the Treasury Department’s announcement of the temporary license. The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The agreement comes as Trump faces pressure to bring down fuel prices ahead of the November midterm elections. Diesel prices have risen roughly 70% since the U.S. war with Iran began in February, reaching a national average of about $6.28 per gallon Friday, according to AAA.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharply criticized the agreement, warning that easing sanctions would help Russia prolong its war against Ukraine.
“Gifts to Putin will not bring peace or any benefit to the civilized world,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “Russia will ‘repay’ the diesel with further terror and perfidy.”
Trump signed legislation last month expanding sanctions on Russia, including its energy industry and financial institutions, over the war in Ukraine.
The U.S. has prohibited imports of Russian oil and petroleum products, including diesel, since 2022.
Russia has also restricted diesel exports through the end of October to protect its domestic market after Ukrainian attacks damaged refineries.
Putin said earlier this month that Russia would not resume diesel exports to global markets until sanctions were lifted, Reuters reported.
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