MANAMA /Bahrain/, October 18. /TASS/. The diesel deal between Moscow and Washington is a bilateral matter between Russia and the United States, whatever Vladimir Zelensky might do or say, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
"The diesel deal between Moscow and Washington is a matter for Moscow and Washington," he told a news conference after the 9th round of the Russia-Gulf Cooperation Council Strategic Dialogue. "If the European Union considers this a betrayal of Ukraine, and Zelensky states that the issue of Russian diesel exports must be resolved with him because only he can grant permission, then this is no longer a matter of energy security. It is a matter of self-promotion and yet another farce."
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a phone call on October 9, during which they discussed, among other things, petroleum product supplies. The Russian president said that Moscow had reiterated its readiness to supply oil and petroleum products to the United States and global markets. According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Russia will lift its ban on diesel exports ahead of schedule and is ready to supply 300,000 tons of diesel in October, increasing the volume to 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons in December. Monthly supplies could subsequently reach 3 million tons. The US administration, in turn, issued a general license authorizing Russian diesel supplies to the global market until April 7, 2027.
The Gulf Cooperation Council is a regional organization of six countries, namely Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. The organization's goal is to expand cooperation among member countries in all areas and to develop common positions on key international and regional issues.