Trump says call with Putin produced deal on Russian diesel supplies; US issues licence
In short
US President Donald Trump said on October 9 that he had held a "very successful" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that they had agreed Russia would supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to the US and world markets immediately, 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tonnes after that. The US Treasury issued a temporary licence allowing supplies of Russian-origin diesel until April 7, 2027.
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US President Donald Trump said on October 9 that he had held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and reached an agreement on Russian diesel supplies. "I have just finished very successful talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin," he wrote on Truth Social. Interfax reported the statement was made on Friday. [ 1 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 14 ]
According to Trump's post, Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to the US and world markets, a further 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tonnes "right after that". He added that, depending on the state of its refineries, Russia would then supply another 3 million tonnes of diesel within a short period. [ 4 , 7 , 8 , 14 ]
The US Treasury said that on Trump's instruction it would immediately issue a licence for diesel supplies from Russia, RIA Novosti reported. The US is permitting the sale, delivery, unloading and import of Russian-origin diesel until April 7, 2027. Meduza and Vedomosti described it as a temporary licence allowing Russian diesel onto world markets, which Vedomosti said bypasses sanctions. [ 1 , 7 , 8 ]
Trump said that thanks to US "full control" over the Strait of Hormuz and the Russian energy announcement, diesel prices for Americans and the whole world would fall quickly and at a record pace. He said lowering prices for Americans, especially farmers and truckers, was his "greatest priority", and added that "Iran will not have nuclear weapons". RIA Novosti reported in headlines that Kirill Dmitriev called the Putin-Trump call very successful. [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]
Vedomosti reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during the day on October 9 that the call would take place shortly; on October 8 the Kremlin had said the exact date was not set, and on October 7 Trump told reporters at the White House that the conversation should take place soon. The previous Putin-Trump call was on September 8 and lasted about an hour, according to presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, with the leaders discussing a settlement in Ukraine and the trips of US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and Kyiv. [ 8 ]
Meduza noted that Russian oil and oil-product exports are restricted by sanctions and by domestic export bans, including a ban on producers exporting diesel, marine fuel and gasoil that runs until the end of October; Interfax sources said on October 6 that the authorities were considering partially lifting the diesel export ban in October for some producers. Meduza also reported that Ukraine is striking Russian refineries, that Russia had a fuel crisis in summer 2026 because of such attacks, and that Trump has several times urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop them, saying they cause a global fuel shortage and higher prices. Interfax recalled that Putin said at the Valdai forum in early October that Russia had enough diesel but that sanctions kept it from world markets. [ 7 , 14 ]
Why it matters
Russian exports of oil and oil products are limited by sanctions and by domestic export bans, and Putin said in early October that Russia could not supply its diesel to world markets because of sanctions. A US licence for Russian diesel, as described by the outlets, would open a channel for those supplies; Trump said the deal would bring diesel prices down for Americans and the world.
Key facts
- Trump said on Truth Social that he had just finished "very successful" talks with Putin. [ 1 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 14 ]
- Trump said Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and world markets, 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tonnes right after that. [ 1 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 14 ]
- Trump said Russia would then supply a further 3 million tonnes of diesel within a short period, depending on the state of its refineries. [ 4 , 7 , 8 , 14 ]
- The US Treasury issued a temporary licence permitting supplies of Russian diesel to world markets until April 7, 2027. [ 1 , 7 , 8 ]
- Trump said that thanks to US "full control" over the Strait of Hormuz and the Russian energy announcement, diesel prices for Americans and the world would fall quickly and at a record pace. [ 7 , 8 ]
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during the day on October 9 that the Putin-Trump call would take place shortly. [ 8 ]
- Putin said at the Valdai forum in early October that Russia had enough diesel but could not supply it to world markets because of sanctions on its oil and oil products. [ 14 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Trump held a phone call with Putin and described it as very successful. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 11 , 14 ]
- Trump said the two agreed Russia would supply diesel fuel to the US and world markets, starting with more than 300,000 tonnes, then 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tonnes after that. [ 1 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 14 ]
- The US Treasury issued a temporary licence for supplies of Russian diesel, valid until April 7, 2027. [ 1 , 7 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the Russian side has confirmed the diesel supply volumes Trump announced. The documents report the figures only as Trump's statements on Truth Social; Kremlin aide Kirill Dmitriev is reported in headlines as calling the call very successful, but no Russian confirmation of the volumes is given.
- How the announced supplies relate to Russia's own export ban on diesel, which Meduza says runs to the end of October. Meduza reports that Interfax sources said on October 6 the authorities were considering a partial lifting of the ban for some producers, but no decision is reported.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti reports Trump's Truth Social post saying he has just finished very successful talks with Putin. [ 1 ]
- Kommersant quotes Trump on the diesel volumes: more than 300,000 tonnes immediately, 500,000 in November, 1 million after that and 3 million more over a short period. [ 4 ]
- Vedomosti reports the US Treasury has issued a temporary licence for supplies of Russian diesel to world markets. [ 8 ]
- RIA Novosti reports Dmitriev calling the Putin-Trump call very successful. [ 9 , 10 ]