Trump: America will import diesel from Russia

US President Donald Trump said the United States would import diesel from Russia, easing the sustained US pressure on Moscow. The move aims to curb prices ahead of the midterm elections.

Trump added on social media on Friday that he had reached the agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call that was expected to discuss suspicions of plague in Russia. Instead, Trump announced that Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November, and one million tons “shortly thereafter,” and then another 3 million tons “within a short period” after that.

Trump’s shocking announcement comes after he signed a broad sanctions bill last month aimed at restricting Russia’s economy in the energy sector, among other areas, which fuels its war against Ukraine. The law imposes sanctions on Russian officials, banks, and a shadow fleet of oil tankers, and bans any new US investment in Russia and dealings with its sovereign debt.