Trump Buys Russian Diesel, Eases Sanctions 1 Year After Oil Curbs
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 22
Trump Buys Russian Diesel, Eases Sanctions 1 Year After Oil Curbs
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 22
Summary
Oct. 9 marked a sharp reversal: Trump said the U.S. would buy Russian diesel, then suspended Russia sanctions he had signed into law and praised Moscow’s stance on Ukraine.
The shift also hit Kyiv’s leverage, with the administration pressing Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries while Trump publicly vilified President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Fuel prices and politics helped drive the move, with the diesel purchase aimed in part at lowering costs before the midterm elections.
One year after Trump sanctioned Russia’s two biggest oil companies over stalled peace talks, Putin appears closer to restoring ties with Washington without conceding anything on Ukraine.
With Ukraine defying pressure to halt refinery strikes, can this diplomatic gamble actually force a peace agreement?
As Russian oil secretly flows through indirect global routes, will easing sanctions permanently break the West's economic leverage?
U.S.-Russia Diesel Agreement 2026: Political, Economic, and Strategic Fallout from a 1.8 Million Barrel Deal
Overview
In October 2026, facing record-high diesel prices and political pressure before the midterm elections, the Trump administration struck a controversial deal with Russia to import diesel, using an executive waiver to bypass recent sanctions law. However, logistical delays and Russia’s damaged refineries meant the deal could not meaningfully lower U.S. fuel prices. The move triggered bipartisan backlash in Congress and strong condemnation from European allies, who reaffirmed their sanctions and accelerated plans for strategic autonomy. The waiver also undermined Ukraine’s strategy to weaken Russia’s war funding, while emboldening Moscow and straining U.S. credibility with both allies and lawmakers.