Why is US turning to Russia for diesel despite sanctions?

What the report says

President Donald Trump said he has agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin to release large volumes of diesel from Russia into the US and wider market, a move he says is meant to ease high fuel costs before the November midterm elections. Al Jazeera reported that Trump framed the deal as a way to lower prices for American consumers, especially farmers, truckers and ranchers, while Putin said Russia was willing to supply oil products to US and global markets.

The reported arrangement comes as diesel prices have surged amid disruptions tied to the wars in Ukraine and Iran, along with attacks on energy and shipping infrastructure in the Middle East and Black Sea region. Al Jazeera noted that emergency stock releases by the G7 have already been described by analysts as only a short-term fix. The article also said US diesel inventories have fallen below normal levels, even though the US remains a major diesel exporter.

The move raises questions about Washington’s sanctions policy toward Russia. The US banned Russian oil and gas imports in 2022, and Congress passed a broader sanctions law last month targeting buyers and facilitators of Russian energy trade. Al Jazeera said the Treasury issued a temporary license to allow Russian diesel to reach global markets.

Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera said the deal may be difficult for Russia to deliver at the scale promised, because Russian fuel exports have fallen and Moscow has restricted its own diesel exports to protect domestic supply.