# After the Trump–Putin "diesel deal", diesel has vanished from some Russian filling stations

- URL: https://syn.by/en/state/finance/trump-putin-diesel-deal/
- Published: 2026-11-04T04:00:24+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T05:05:27+00:00
- Section: Finance
- Language: en
- RU edition: https://syn.by/ru/gosudarstvo/finansy-ru/dizel-ischez-rossiyskikh-azs.md
- BE edition: https://syn.by/dziarzhava/finansy/trampa-pucina-dyzel-znik.md

> According to The Moscow Times, a deal under which more than 2000000 tonnes of Russian fuel is to reach the world market has ended in shortages in north-west Russia. Analyst Janis Kluge estimates that diesel is available at fewer than 40% of filling stations in St Petersburg.

![](https://syn.by/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/illustration-6061-1024x585.webp)

On 26 October Donald Trump announced a "diesel deal" with Vladimir Putin. According to him, Russia agreed to supply the American and world markets with more than 300000 tonnes of fuel in October, another 500000 tonnes in November and 1000000 tonnes immediately after that.

Trump said: "Our country will receive a very large amount of fuel." The Kremlin called the decision "mutually beneficial" and one that "serves the interests of world markets." Analysts also link the increase in diesel output at Russian refineries to this agreement.

According to The Moscow Times, the deal, under which more than 2000000 tonnes of Russian fuel is to reach the American and world markets, has ended in diesel shortages in north-west Russia.

According to analyst Janis Kluge, diesel can now be bought at fewer than 40% of filling stations in St Petersburg. At the end of October availability was around 70%, meaning that in less than a week fuel vanished from almost half of the stations. Kluge says the shortage has come close to the peak of the crisis at the end of July, when restrictions were introduced at filling stations in St Petersburg.

Private filling stations in the Leningrad region, by their own account, are selling fuel under strict limits of 30–50 litres per car. Filling stations in St Petersburg report 40-minute queues.

The problems are not confined to the north-west. In the Sverdlovsk region, restrictions have been introduced at some stations, while Tatneft stations have stopped sales altogether. On 26 October the governor of the Tambov region, Yevgeny Pervishov, reported "disruptions with diesel fuel"; according to the regional operational headquarters, 29 of 214 filling stations had no diesel.

Kluge asserts: "On the whole, Russia produces enough diesel." In his version, exports to the US were probably organised in haste through the Baltic port of Primorsk near St Petersburg, hence the "logistics problems."

Meanwhile, the Russian authorities have extended the ban on exports of most types of diesel until January 2027, leaving room to supply certain volumes to the world market. A new government document expands the list of refineries permitted exemptions; the plants are increasing output after such exemptions were allowed.

According to Kluge, the American market does not need Russian diesel: the US is itself a net exporter. He believes Moscow and Washington are competitors on the world market, so the deal may turn out badly for American companies.

According to The Wall Street Journal, [the deal has had virtually no effect on lowering diesel prices](https://syn.by/en/politics/international-relations/witkoff-on-trumps-behalf-thanked-putin-for-the-diesel-deal/) in the US; the price rose slightly.

Inside Russia, according to media reports, the Energy Ministry has proposed that the government allow an additional increase in retail prices for petrol and diesel of 2.1 roubles per litre.

According to Greenpeace's count, seven tankers are involved in supplying Russian diesel, including sanctioned ones. According to The Washington Times, American companies fear legal consequences: supplies of Russian diesel have been banned by sanctions since 2022. Analysts at Rapidian Energy wrote that the fuel may ultimately have to be sent to Brazil.

Le Monde claims that American businesses are secretly negotiating with sanctioned Russian companies, as a result of which the upcoming peace talks on Ukraine are at risk of collapse.

Expert Zhirnov believes that Hubbard's release allowed Trump to show a diplomatic result ahead of the elections, while the Kremlin got an easing of economic restrictions. In his words, "Trump signed the diesel agreement for him for free, and Putin released this hostage for free. That is called an exchange."