Kathrine Frich
The Russians acted really fast.
Fuel prices can make or break the mood of voters right before a major election.
Drivers notice every single cent added at the pump when they fill up their tanks for the morning commute.
Soon, a surprising foreign supplier could help ease that pressure across the country.
Fuel on the way
Fresh shipments of Russian diesel are expected to arrive in the United States within the next two weeks, according to TASS and the New York Post. That timeline puts the foreign fuel on American shores just days before voters head to the polls for the November 3 midterm elections.
One source told the New York Post that the fuel “should be here in the next two weeks if we get everything done.” According to the newspaper, Moscow has agreed to send over “a pretty substantial” volume to help meet demand.
This sudden shift started at the very top of both governments. On October 9, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone to discuss petroleum product supplies, TASS reported.
Following that conversation, Putin stated that Moscow remained ready to send oil and petroleum products to both the United States and global markets.
Millions of tons promised
To get the tankers moving, officials on both sides had to clear away major trade barriers first. According to TASS, the US administration stepped in and granted a general license that allows Russian diesel supplies onto the global market until April 7, 2027.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced that Moscow will end its own diesel export ban earlier than planned, TASS noted. The country is prepared to ship 300,000 tons of diesel in October alone.
And those numbers are set to climb rapidly before winter sets in. According to Novak, as reported by TASS, Russian shipments will grow to 500,000 tons in November and hit 1 million tons in December. After that initial surge, monthly deliveries could eventually reach up to 3 million tons.
