Trump’s diesel deal irks allies and is unlikely to reduce prices

Even if Russian diesel reaches the global market in the coming weeks, it probably won’t offer much relief for American farmers and truckers before the midterm elections. | Hilary Swift / The New York Times

Oct 13, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump’s deal for Russian diesel exposed the U.S. to legal questions, opened a rift with his Republican allies and European leaders and heightened tensions with Ukraine — all in exchange for an outcome that experts suggest is unlikely to succeed.

Under the agreement — announced late last week — Russian President Vladimir Putin would begin releasing diesel supplies into global markets as part of a U.S. effort to bring down prices from their record highs before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Trump has also intensified demands on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop attacking Russian refineries and announced an energy ceasefire between the two sides.

The decisions and the ceasefire are all a bet that lowering fuel prices will be the best way to win more votes next month despite the risk of a backlash from political friends and foes alike. On Sunday, a bipartisan group of senators argued that Trump should “reverse course” on his plan to cut a diesel deal with Russia.

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