Russian diesel reaches global markets after Trump deal, Kremlin says (representative image)
Russian diesel has begun reaching global markets following an agreement with US President Donald Trump, the Kremlin said on Thursday, adding that the supplies could help stabilise oil markets but would not be sufficient to fully achieve that goal."The diesel has started reaching global markets and is expected to have a positive effect on stabilising oil markets, although it will not be enough to fully stabilize them," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Reuters.Trump said last week that Russia had agreed to supply diesel to global markets to help lower fuel prices. Moscow subsequently partially lifted its ban on diesel exports from October 10 following the agreement.
Russian diesel shipments resume
Data from financial information provider LSEG showed on Wednesday that Russia had resumed diesel export loadings from the Baltic port of Primorsk.According to the shipping data cited by Reuters, a tanker carrying around 40,000 metric tonnes of ultra-low sulphur diesel was loaded on October 13 and was heading towards Morocco.Trump said on Friday that Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 metric tonnes, or 2.25 million barrels, of diesel to US and global markets.
He also said another 500,000 tonnes would be supplied in November, followed by a further 1 million tonnes "immediately thereafter".However, the initial volume would amount to less than a day's supply for the US transport sector alone.US Energy Information Administration data puts daily consumption in the sector at around 2.94 million barrels. The additional volumes announced by Trump would amount to less than four days of demand for US transport.Trump is seeking to bring down US diesel prices ahead of the country's midterm elections on November 3.
Ukraine, European officials criticise deal
The agreement has drawn strong criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European officials and some Republican politicians in Trump's own party.Russia, meanwhile, has rejected European criticism of the diesel arrangement as "cynical", arguing that European countries continue to purchase some Russian oil and liquefied natural gas.The deal comes amid tensions over efforts to secure an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Kremlin accuses Kyiv of undermining peace efforts
Separately, the Kremlin said on Thursday that Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries were running counter to US efforts to initiate peace talks, following a drone attack on a refinery in Russia's Ryazan region overnight.Peskov said Moscow did not believe Kyiv had complied with the energy ceasefire announced by Trump on Sunday.
Ukraine had said it paused strikes on Russian oil refineries for three days but resumed them after Russia continued attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure."The Ukrainian regime in Kyiv continues to strike these facilities, thereby, of course, coming into serious contradiction with the peace efforts of the United States and of the American negotiators who are indeed making very vigorous efforts to somehow initiate the peace process.
But so far, these vigorous attempts have been thwarted by the unwillingness of the Kyiv regime – and of (President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy personally – to make peace," Peskov said.The news agency Associated Press (AP) reported that the drone strike started a fire at the Ryazan refinery, around 300 kilometres southeast of Moscow. A senior Ukrainian official confirmed that Ukraine had hit the facility, while Russia's Defence Ministry and regional governor reported the attack.Russia had previously said the scope of the energy ceasefire had not been defined. On Wednesday, it said it had struck seven Ukrainian energy infrastructure facilities, according to Reuters.The competing claims over compliance with the ceasefire could not be independently verified.Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said Russia had launched more than 850 drones at Ukraine between midnight and Thursday morning.Ukraine's Emergency Services said three people were killed and six injured in a Russian drone attack on the central Kirovohrad region, while the Ukrainian Air Force said its air defences had intercepted 536 Russian drones during the overnight assault.