MOSCOW, October 18, 2026 - Deliveries of Russian diesel to the United States are expected to take 15 to 20 days after commercial contracts are signed, Russian Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Alexander Novak said on Sunday. However, no date has yet been announced for finalizing the agreements. Report BSS/AFP
US President Donald Trump announced the controversial deal with Moscow last week, reportedly seeking to ease rising fuel prices for American consumers ahead of the crucial November 3 midterm elections.
“Negotiations are currently under way regarding the commercial terms—that is, on finalization of the contracts,” Novak said in an interview broadcast by state-run media outlet Vesti.
“Once the contracts are signed, the fuel will reach the markets—in this case, the US markets—within 15 to 20 days,” he added, without specifying when the contracts would be concluded.
On Wednesday, Kremlin adviser on international economic cooperation Kirill Dmitriev had said the agreements would be signed within days.
Rising fuel prices in the United States since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran have become a political concern for the Trump administration, with the prospect of electoral losses for the Republicans in next month’s midterm elections.
However, analysts have questioned whether the Russian diesel deal will significantly reduce costs for American consumers.
The United States consumes approximately 3.9 million barrels of diesel per day, while the agreement initially covers a total of 2.22 million barrels. That volume represents less than a day’s US consumption, limiting the deal’s potential impact on the domestic fuel market.
