US Treasury Opens Temporary Window for Russian Diesel Imports Despite Sanctions

The United States has opened a temporary path for Russian diesel fuel to reach American markets, reversing years of sanctions pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine. The move came through a license issued by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on October 9, 2026, hours after President Donald Trump announced a supply arrangement with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

What the license allows

According to OFAC's published notice, General License 135 authorizes transactions related to the sale, delivery, offloading and importation of diesel fuel of Russian Federation origin, including imports into the United States. Euromaidan Press, citing the license text, reported that it was signed by OFAC director Bradley Smith and remains in effect through April 7, 2027.

The license does not lift the broader US sanctions regime imposed on Russia since 2022.

The announced volumes

Trump said on his Truth Social platform that Russia agreed to supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately to American and global markets, followed by 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons "immediately thereafter." He added that Russia would deliver a further 3 million tons "within a short period of time," depending on refinery capacity, according to Al Jazeera and PBS NewsHour.

Euromaidan Press, citing market analysts, noted the stated volumes are small relative to US demand: roughly 1.5 days of national diesel consumption against monthly US demand of close to 16 million tons, suggesting the measure is more political than market-moving.

Why now

Trump framed the decision around domestic fuel costs. "Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority," he said, according to Al Jazeera and PBS. US national average diesel prices hit a record $6.52 per gallon on September 22, 2026, before easing to about $6.28 per gallon by October 9, 2026, according to PBS NewsHour.

The announcement came roughly three weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, a timing noted by PBS NewsHour. It also followed a sanctions law Trump signed last month directing tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, a law PBS said the diesel waiver appears to cut against.

Reactions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the arrangement. PBS NewsHour quoted him calling it "a weak decision, unfortunately, a weak decision by strong partners," and reported he said it would let Russia "kill more" by prolonging the war through continued energy revenue.

US Representative Don Beyer said Trump "isn't the slightest bit trustworthy when it comes to Russia," according to PBS NewsHour. Euromaidan Press reported that the European Union responded by advancing its largest sanctions package against Russia's war-related revenue, scheduled for adoption on October 12, while Australia said it would keep its own restrictions on Russian fuel in place.

Background on the sanctions

Washington banned imports of Russian oil and gas in 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera. Russian crude and refined-product flows to the West were subsequently curtailed through a mix of US, EU and allied sanctions. Al Jazeera reported that Russian oil exports fell from about 850,000 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2026 to roughly 190,000 barrels per day by the third quarter, before the diesel waiver was issued.