Another Russian diesel tanker turns away from US as Trump’s deal with Putin falls apart

A tanker carrying Russian diesel to the U.S. was forced to reverse course in another blow to President Donald Trump’s energy deal with Russia. The Agioi Fanendes tanker, a Malta-flagged tanker which was carrying approximately 300,000 barrels of Russian diesel, or 40,000 metric tons, reversed course 400 nautical miles away from New York, according to Bloomberg and the Kyiv Post.In an early October bid to lower energy costs in the U.S. before the midterm elections, Donald Trump said he had signed a deal with Russia to supply the U.S. with 300,000 tons of diesel to the US in October, 500,000 tons in November, and then 1 million tons after that. However, this deal violated existing U.S. sanctions against importing Russian oil and gas, and as of November 11, no Russian diesel has been registered entering the country. Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s oil deal appears to be collapsing (Getty Images)New Jersey Governor and U.S. Navy veteran, Mikie Sherill, warned port operators in New Jersey that they could face civil penalties if they unloaded Russian diesel. “Every port and terminal operator, intermediary, and buyer is on notice: do not help bring illegal Russian diesel into New Jersey," said Sherill on November 2, per Military.com. Sherill also accused the president of "helping finance Putin's war against Ukraine." The diesel agreement failed to bring down prices before the midterms, which saw a Republican wipe out at the polls. After signing the deal, the president said that he had also negotiated an ‘energy ceasefire’ between Ukraine and Russia. However, Russia bombed a Ukrainian energy facility shortly after Trump made that announcement. The Agioi Fanendes, a Malta-flagged medium-sized tanker carrying Russia diesel to the U.S. was turned away from the East Coast (Reuters)Additionally, even if the president could import Russian diesel, this would not fix the current shortage in the U.S.The country is also suffering from the Iranian blockade on oil in the Strait of Hormuz, which was initiated after Trump’s decision to go to war with Iran. Expensive diesel does not just mean high prices at the pump, it leads to increased prices of household goods and other necessities, because it is the principal fuel for long haul trucking vehicles which transport goods across the country.Manufacturers are placing the burden of the increased cost of transportation onto their customers. Plumes of smoke from a Russian oil refinery after being struke by Ukraine (X/@ukraine_map)On top of issues with being able to import Russian diesel into the country, there are questions over whether Russia is capable of providing the amount of diesel promised in the first place, according to the Kyiv Post.Ukraine’s renewed bombing campaign against Russian oil refineries has cut oil production by 30% since late October per Reuters and the Kyiv Post. And, according to Ben Harris, a former assistant U.S. Treasury secretary, “you can’t find a buyer for Russian diesel.”