Russian diesel is heading back to the United States for the first time since Washington banned imports of Russian petroleum products in 2022, in a deal aimed at easing fuel costs ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Shipping data shows the Malta-flagged tanker Agioi Fanendes loaded 40,000 metric tons of ultra-low sulphur diesel at Russia’s Baltic port of Primorsk on October 22. It is expected to reach New York on November 7, although the buyer and seller remain unidentified.

President Donald Trump announced on October 9 that Russia would supply 300,000 metric tons of petroleum products to the US and global markets, followed by 500,000 tons in November and a further one million tons thereafter.

The agreement comes as diesel prices rise, putting pressure on transport operators, businesses and consumers. Trump has also waived parts of a new US sanctions law against Russia and threatened to restrict diesel exports to Europe unless countries release more fuel from emergency reserves.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Friday that the first tanker under the arrangement had departed, although he did not specify its destination.

The deal also marks a shift for Moscow, which has resumed diesel exports after lifting its own restrictions. Since the European Union imposed an embargo on Russian petroleum products in February 2023 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, shipments have largely gone to Turkey, Brazil and African markets.

Whether the American cargo signals a sustained trade revival remains unclear. Further shipments will depend on commercial contracts and the development of the agreement, while the unidentified parties leave questions over how the transaction is structured.

For now, the cargo offers a tangible test of whether renewed Russian supplies can help relieve pressure on US fuel markets.