US began buying previously sanctioned Russian diesel fuel in October
After a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the United States became a buyer of Russian-made diesel in October, fuel that had earlier been under sanctions. Russia itself is short of fuel because of Ukrainian drone strikes.
In October, following a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the United States became a buyer of diesel fuel produced in Russia. Until then, this fuel had been subject to sanctions. The development matters because it shows how Western sanctions policy toward Russia can shift after a conversation between the two countries' leaders.
Fuel shortage inside Russia
The situation is contradictory: despite the exports, Russia itself is short of fuel because of strikes by Ukrainian drones. The combination of these circumstances is described as paradoxical.
The Kremlin's long-term strategy
An analysis by LSM's Russian-language service stresses that what happened is not a chance turn of events. It is presented as a continuation of a strategy the Kremlin has prepared for a long time, through which Russia tries to influence the policies of the US and other Western countries. The article compares the fuel deliveries to a "Trojan horse" serving that influence.
