Trump defends his Russian diesel deal as lawmakers in both parties object. Kyiv says Russia keeps hitting its energy sites
Trump defended on Monday his Friday decision to suspend sanctions on Russian diesel, calling it “the right choice for the American people,” CBS News and ABC News reported. CBS said his Truth Social post promised more than 300,000 tons of Russian diesel “immediately,” another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.” Senators of both parties objected, ABC and Reuters reported. Reuters, citing sources, said U.S. officials hope the deal will “soften” the Kremlin on peace talks, and that Russia says it may export up to 3.5 million tons a month by year-end. The Kremlin rejected Zelensky’s idea of a 60-day ceasefire and wants an overall peace deal, Reuters reported. Zelensky said Russia was not honoring the energy ceasefire Trump announced Sunday. NBC said oil and gas prices rose Monday after it failed to gain traction; Reuters and CNBC said oil slipped early Tuesday.
Diesel moves trucks, farms and building sites, so its price reaches almost every shelf. A deal that eases sanctions to cut that price also hands Moscow revenue during a war, which is why Republicans and Democrats alike are uneasy. The ceasefire that was meant to accompany it has not held on Ukraine’s account.
Diesel above $6 a gallon, as CBS reported, feeds into shipping and food costs. Even if the full volumes arrive, PBS’s analysts expect only a small effect on U.S. prices.
The administration says more supply is the fastest way to lower fuel costs for Americans, and that talking to Moscow may help peace efforts.
Critics in both parties say the deal rewards Russia while it keeps striking Ukraine, and that the volumes are too small to help drivers.
Two tests decide this: whether tankers actually ship the promised tons, and whether Moscow stops hitting Ukrainian energy sites. Count barrels and strikes, not announcements. If neither moves, the deal will have cost political capital for little relief.
DailyDrop U.S. No. 9 · October 13, 2026