Russian diesel shipment heads to New York under Trump deal

The first shipment of Russian diesel to the United States under a new agreement between Moscow and President Donald Trump is en route to New York, according to ship-tracking data released Friday. The move is part of efforts to lower diesel prices ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. The Malta-flagged tanker Agioi Fanendes loaded 40,000 metric tons of ultra-low sulphur diesel at Russia's Primorsk port on October 22 and is expected to arrive in the US on November 7. Trump announced the deal on October 9, with Russia committing to supply 300,000 metric tons immediately and additional volumes in the following months. The cargo would mark the first Russian petroleum-product shipment to the US since a 2022 ban, with the deal also involving Russia lifting its own export restrictions. Russia has primarily exported diesel to Turkey, Brazil, and African countries since the EU embargo in February 2023.