Donald Trump has claimed he has struck a deal with Russia to secure millions of tonnes of diesel, in a dramatic reversal of Washington's longstanding efforts to isolate Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
The US president said the agreement would help ease pressure on fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections. Writing on social media on Friday, Mr Trump said he had reached the arrangement during a telephone conversation with Russian president Vladimir Putin, a call that had been expected to focus on reports of a suspected plague outbreak in Russia.
Fuel deliveries announced
Instead, Mr Trump announced that Russia would provide more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately, followed by a further 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tonnes "immediately thereafter", The Mirror reports.
Russia will deliver another three million tonnes "within a short period of time" after that, he wrote.
Sanctions reversal
The announcement comes shortly after Trump sanctioned sweeping sanctions against Moscow last month in a bid to further weaken Russia's energy economy and slow its assault on Ukraine.
Russian officials, banks and its shadow fleet of tankers were targeted in the legislation, which also banned all new US investment in Russia and the handling of sovereign debt.
It also instructed Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas, with an exemption for nations that import less than 15% of Russia's natural gas exports and have taken considerable steps to reduce those imports.
