Diesel ships set for US coast

Russian fuel is moving toward American shores. On Friday, Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak announced that three tankers are already underway to the eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The vessels are the first to operate under a new arrangement that allows Russian companies to sell 500,000 metric tonnes of diesel to global markets in October.

Novak stated that the shipments have significant support from the Russian Direct Investment Fund. The deal was announced this month by US president Donald Trump. Under the agreement, Russia supplies diesel to help lower global fuel prices. In exchange, the US temporarily lifts sanctions on Russian fuel.

Reuters identified one of the vessels as the Agioi Fanendes. This Malta-flagged, medium-sized tanker is loaded with ultra-low sulphur diesel. The ship is expected to arrive in the United States on 7 November.

The fuel shipment coincides with renewed diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The White House said Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire in Oleshky, a city in southern Ukraine occupied by Russian forces since February 2022. Both sides will halt military operations there starting 27 October. This pause allows aid delivery and preparations to evacuate civilians.

Resident conditions in Oleshky have deteriorated. Severe shortages of food, water, and electricity persist. An estimated 2,000 people remain in the city. Some survivors report eating weeds, boiled grass, and small rations of bread.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the US agreed to hold technical-level meetings in Abu Dhabi during the first half of November. A US official indicated the countries might meet again in a couple of weeks, potentially in Switzerland. Zelenskyy hopes a meeting of leaders will follow these technical discussions.

The diplomatic push follows recent tensions between Washington and Kyiv. These include limits on the Starlink communication system used by Ukraine for defense. Trump said he would resolve any remaining access issues, possibly by speaking with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Separately, EU leaders in Brussels urged UK prime minister Andy Burnham to increase contributions to Ukraine's defense ahead of the UK's next budget.