Trump Announces Diesel Supply Deal With Putin After Zelensky Ignores Requests to Halt Refinery Strikes

President Donald Trump announced on Friday, October 9, 2026, that he had reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia to supply diesel fuel to U.S. and global markets. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that Russia would immediately supply over 300,000 tons of diesel, another 500,000 tons during November, and 1 million tons immediately thereafter. He added that further deliveries of up to 3 million tons would follow within a short period, depending on the condition of Russian refineries damaged by Ukrainian strikes.

The U.S. Treasury Department issued a temporary license allowing Russian diesel sales on the global market through April 7, 2027, suspending relevant sanctions for roughly six months. Putin confirmed in a Kremlin readout that Russia reaffirmed its readiness to supply oil and refined products to the American and global markets. Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy for Putin, posted on X that Russia-U.S. cooperation on diesel and energy would benefit the world.

The announcement came while a Ukrainian delegation was meeting with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Miami to discuss proposals to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the negotiators had been used as a smokescreen. In a voice memo and subsequent statements, Zelensky called the deal “absolutely terrible,” “not fair and not honest,” and “a weak decision by strong partners.” He stated that the agreement would provide additional money for the war and fuel further suffering.

A U.S. official with direct knowledge told Axios that Trump decided to pursue the diesel deal after Zelensky ignored half a dozen requests to stop Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. Those strikes had reduced Russian refining capacity and contributed to tighter global diesel supplies. Russia had imposed a ban on diesel exports in response, adding further pressure. Zelensky had previously told Trump, Witkoff and Kushner that he was prepared to halt the refinery attacks if Russia stopped strikes on Ukrainian power plants. U.S. officials viewed the refinery strikes as contributing to higher U.S. fuel prices and did not consider them equivalent to Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid.

Diesel prices in the United States have risen sharply. A gallon of diesel cost $6.28 on Friday, up from $3.68 a year earlier, according to reporting on the pressures facing the administration ahead of midterm elections. Trump described lower prices for farmers, ranchers and truckers as a top priority. Energy analysts noted that the initial volumes—roughly 6 million barrels across the first tranches—equate to about a day and a half of U.S. diesel demand and are unlikely to produce a large or sustained drop in prices.

The deal marks a sharp reversal of U.S. policy. Trump signed a sweeping Russia sanctions law last month aimed at cutting the oil and gas revenues that support the war. European allies, including Germany, indicated they would maintain their own sanctions. Ukraine has claimed strikes on four different Russian refineries in the past week alone. More than half of Russia’s refining capacity has been taken offline by Ukrainian attacks, according to statements from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence.

Talks on ending the war continued in Miami on Friday and Saturday. National security advisers from the United Kingdom, France and Germany, along with NATO and EU representatives, were invited to the sessions. Zelensky said the timing of the diesel announcement while the Ukrainian team was in Florida showed that partners were not treating Ukraine as a genuine partner. The episode has complicated the administration’s parallel effort to push for an energy ceasefire and a broader settlement.

Russian diesel exports under the temporary waiver will generate revenue for Moscow at a moment when Ukrainian forces continue to target energy infrastructure. The volume and duration of the waiver give Russia a defined window to move product while refineries remain damaged. Whether the additional supply materializes at the scale Trump described depends on the physical condition of those facilities and on shipping and insurance arrangements that have been constrained by sanctions.

The announcement has drawn criticism from Ukrainian officials and skepticism from energy market observers about its effect on U.S. pump prices. It also places the administration’s midterm-election focus on fuel costs in direct tension with the sanctions architecture built over the preceding years of the war. Further details on delivery schedules, pricing and any linkage to ongoing ceasefire discussions are expected as the Miami talks continue.