Trump’s Plan to Import Russian Diesel Stalls on the High Seas
Wall Street Journal
Nov11-2026
President Trump’s efforts to supply the U.S. with Russian diesel have yet to result in any new imports into the country, as several fuel tankers bound for America shifted course following difficulties finding buyers willing to accept the controversial cargoes.
Trump saw Russian diesel as a way to lower sky-high prices for the fuel, which contributed to rising consumer costs in the U.S. in the run-up to the midterm elections. But the diverted ships show U.S. oil companies are reluctant to handle the cargoes of Russian diesel because of the potential legal and reputational consequences, industry executives and lobbyists said.
Critics, including senior Democrats and Republicans in Congress, said that Trump’s carve-out of diesel from U.S. sanctions on Russia was illegal. Another concern was that accepting the diesel could cause companies to run afoul of international sanctions: fuel imports from Russia are still banned by the U.K., European Union and Switzerland.
“There are political, compliance and enforcement challenges,” said Michelle Wiese Bockmann, a senior analyst at maritime intelligence firm Windward.
Trump reached the deal after a “highly successful discussion” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, he said in an Oct. 9 post on Truth Social. Trump said Moscow agreed to “immediately” supply diesel to the U.S. and global markets.
Moscow partially restored diesel exports that it halted this summer after a campaign of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries. A month after Trump’s post, Russia is selling diesel again to the Middle East, North Africa and South America—but the plan to supply the U.S. with the fuel has stalled.
The Agioi Fanendes, a tanker loaded with 300,000 barrels of Russian diesel, slowed down near the U.S. East Coast on Monday and started loitering in a zigzag pattern. The ship, which had initially listed its destination as New York, was the latest of several vessels bearing Russian fuel to shift course or change their discharge plans midjourney. Kpler, a ship-tracking service, now lists its likely destination as South America.
The vessel’s manager, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, told The Wall Street Journal the tanker’s “discharging port is not confirmed yet” as of Wednesday morning.
Nov11-2026
President Trump’s efforts to supply the U.S. with Russian diesel have yet to result in any new imports into the country, as several fuel tankers bound for America shifted course following difficulties finding buyers willing to accept the controversial cargoes.
Trump saw Russian diesel as a way to lower sky-high prices for the fuel, which contributed to rising consumer costs in the U.S. in the run-up to the midterm elections. But the diverted ships show U.S. oil companies are reluctant to handle the cargoes of Russian diesel because of the potential legal and reputational consequences, industry executives and lobbyists said.
Critics, including senior Democrats and Republicans in Congress, said that Trump’s carve-out of diesel from U.S. sanctions on Russia was illegal. Another concern was that accepting the diesel could cause companies to run afoul of international sanctions: fuel imports from Russia are still banned by the U.K., European Union and Switzerland.
“There are political, compliance and enforcement challenges,” said Michelle Wiese Bockmann, a senior analyst at maritime intelligence firm Windward.
Trump reached the deal after a “highly successful discussion” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, he said in an Oct. 9 post on Truth Social. Trump said Moscow agreed to “immediately” supply diesel to the U.S. and global markets.
Moscow partially restored diesel exports that it halted this summer after a campaign of Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries. A month after Trump’s post, Russia is selling diesel again to the Middle East, North Africa and South America—but the plan to supply the U.S. with the fuel has stalled.
The Agioi Fanendes, a tanker loaded with 300,000 barrels of Russian diesel, slowed down near the U.S. East Coast on Monday and started loitering in a zigzag pattern. The ship, which had initially listed its destination as New York, was the latest of several vessels bearing Russian fuel to shift course or change their discharge plans midjourney. Kpler, a ship-tracking service, now lists its likely destination as South America.
The vessel’s manager, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, told The Wall Street Journal the tanker’s “discharging port is not confirmed yet” as of Wednesday morning.
