Three Russian Diesel Tankers Sail for US East Coast Amid Oleshky Ceasefire

Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak confirmed on Friday that three tankers are currently en route to the Atlantic coast of North America. The ships are the first to depart under a new agreement announced by US president Donald Trump this month. Under the deal, Russian companies will supply 500,000 metric tonnes of diesel to US and global markets in October. In exchange, the US has temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian fuel to help lower global prices.

Reuters reported that one of the vessels, the Malta-flagged medium-sized tanker Agioi Fanendes, is loaded with ultra-low sulphur diesel. The ship is expected to reach US ports on 7 November. Novak stated that the Russian Direct Investment Fund provided significant support for the initial shipments.

The fuel movement coincides with a humanitarian pause in the Ukraine war. The White House announced that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky. Both sides will halt military operations in the city starting 27 October. This pause allows aid to be delivered and prepares for the evacuation of civilians. The ceasefire comes as thousands of residents face severe shortages of food, water, and electricity.

Oleshky, located in southern Ukraine, has been under Russian occupation since February 2022. An estimated 2,000 people remain in the city. Residents report surviving on weeds, boiled grass, bread, and meagre rations due to the worsening conditions. Russian and Ukrainian officials both indicated that they are close to agreeing on a wider ceasefire framework.

US efforts to revive peace talks continue alongside the fuel deal. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the US have agreed to hold technical-level meetings in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. A US official noted that the three countries might meet again in a couple of weeks in either Abu Dhabi or Switzerland. Zelenskyy expressed hope that a meeting of the countries' leaders would follow these technical sessions.

The diplomatic push follows recent tensions between Washington and Kyiv. These include limits placed on the Starlink communication system used by Ukraine for defense. Trump said on Friday that he would resolve any access issues Ukraine faces with the system, potentially raising the matter with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

In Europe, EU leaders urged UK prime minister Andy Burnham to contribute more to Ukraine's defense during a summit in Brussels. The UK government is scheduled to present its first budget under Burnham's leadership next week. Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that repairs to key power infrastructure near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are complete. The work, done under a temporary ceasefire, strengthened the plant's connection to its sole remaining external power line, known as Ferosplavna-1.