Putin says Russia can export more diesel than Trump promised
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin (Russian media)
Russia expects to restore diesel exports to 3–3.5 million tons per month by the end of the year. Moscow says this would return exports to pre-crisis levels and exceed the figures the US leader announced, Reuters reports.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia has the capacity to increase diesel supplies abroad. He noted that export volumes could reach 3–3.5 million tons per month by the end of the year.
"We will see how the situation develops further, but Russia has the capacity to increase diesel fuel exports," the Russian deputy prime minister said on a state television channel.
Why Russian diesel exports have declined
The outlet notes that Russian diesel fuel supplies abroad have fallen significantly due to Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and export restrictions imposed by Russia itself.
Before the wave of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries in 2024–2025, Russia exported more than 3 million tons of diesel per month.
Despite the export restrictions, Moscow continued to supply fuel under intergovernmental agreements, primarily to Central Asian countries. According to industry sources, Russian diesel exports to the region totaled 427,000 tons in September.
Agreement with Trump
Novak's statement came after US President Donald Trump announced an agreement on supplying Russian diesel to global markets.
His administration temporarily eased sanctions restrictions on Russian fuel. According to the US side, the deal is intended to encourage Moscow to return to negotiations on ending the war against Ukraine.
At the same time, the decision has drawn criticism from some US lawmakers, who believe that additional revenue from fuel sales will help Russia finance the war without having to make concessions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also criticized the agreement, calling it a departure from the West's longstanding policy of economically isolating Russia.
Zelenskyy stressed that Russian strikes on at least six Ukrainian energy facilities during the latest wave of attacks showed that Moscow was not interested in an energy truce.
What Russia says
However, Novak claims that additional Russian fuel supplies are already affecting the global market.
"We are already seeing this effect, including in global diesel markets, where prices have fallen by around five to six percent," he said.
Meanwhile, Trump said Russia must immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel to the US and global markets. According to him, Moscow should then ship another 500,000 tons in November, followed by an additional 1 million tons.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, the US transportation sector consumes approximately 2.94 million barrels of diesel fuel per day. Therefore, the initial shipment announced by Trump amounts to less than one day's consumption by this sector.
Separately, Novak said that US estimates of the value of Russian energy resources supplied to Europe since 2022 were allegedly understated.
According to him, the total amounts to $320.7 billion, rather than $250 billion, as estimated by US officials. Reuters' report does not provide independent confirmation of this figure.
Read more about the Trump-Putin diesel deal in the RBC-Ukraine material.
