Trump says Russia agreed to supply millions of tons of diesel to US and global markets as he blames Ukraine for fuel price hikes driven by the Iran war

US President Donald Trump announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to supply millions of tons of diesel fuel to American and global markets. This move would allow Russia to sell fuel abroad at a crucial time as Ukraine targets its oil industry to deprive Moscow of revenue and disrupt resources sustaining its invasion.

The US president has urged Ukraine to cease strikes on Russian oil infrastructure, which he believes is responsible for high fuel prices in the US. In a post on Truth Social on October 9, Trump stated that Russia would initially supply over 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons shortly after.

He also hinted at a potential further delivery of 3 million tons, depending on the state of Russian refineries. Trump emphasized that lower fuel prices for Americans and the world were his top priority, particularly for farmers, ranchers, and truckers. The announcement did not provide details on reconciling the promised volumes with Russian refineries' condition amid ongoing Ukrainian strikes, which he cited as a factor determining delivery timing.

Trump has previously pressured Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries. This announcement follows Trump's repeated accusations that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil infrastructure have worsened global diesel shortages and driven up fuel prices. Ukraine has maintained its strikes on Russian oil facilities as part of its strategy to undermine Moscow's war economy.

These strikes have damaged refining capacity, contributed to fuel shortages within Russia, and compelled Moscow to restrict fuel exports. Kyiv argues that the attacks put pressure on Russia's ability to finance and sustain its war against Ukraine. The rise in US fuel prices is primarily due to the US-Israeli war with Iran, which has disrupted global energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway carrying about one-fifth of the world's oil.

Despite this, Trump has blamed Ukraine's refinery strikes for rising fuel costs while urging Kyiv to halt them. Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil infrastructure aim to weaken Moscow's war economy, while the disruption to global energy shipments is largely attributed to the conflict with Iran.