Novak: Three Tankers Carrying 500,000 Tonnes of Russian Diesel Head for US East Coast

Three Russian diesel tankers are currently sailing toward the US East Coast, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday. The vessels are the first under a new arrangement allowing Russian companies to supply 500,000 metric tonnes of fuel to US and global markets in October.

The deal was announced this month by US President Donald Trump. Under the terms, Russia agreed to supply diesel to world markets to help reduce fuel prices. In return, the US agreed to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian fuel. Novak said the first three tankers are moving toward the Atlantic coast with support from the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

Reuters reported that one of the vessels, the Malta-flagged medium-sized tanker Agioi Fanendes, is loaded with ultra-low sulphur diesel. It is expected to reach the United States on November 7.

The shipment follows a series of diplomatic moves aimed at stabilizing the war in Ukraine. The White House announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire in the occupied city of Oleshky. Both sides will halt military operations there starting October 27 to allow aid delivery and civilian evacuations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that technical-level meetings between Ukraine, Russia, and the US will be held in Abu Dhabi in the first half of November. A US official said the countries might meet again in a few weeks in either Abu Dhabi or Switzerland.

Zelenskyy expressed hope that a meeting of the countries' leaders would follow the technical talks. The diplomatic push comes after a recent rift between Washington and Kyiv, which included US limits on the Starlink communication system used by Ukraine. Trump said on Friday that he would resolve any remaining Starlink access issues and potentially discuss them with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk if necessary.

In Brussels, EU leaders urged UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to increase contributions to Ukraine's defense. The UK government is scheduled to present its first budget under Burnham's leadership next week. EU officials also stated that Canada and Japan should provide more support to Ukraine.

The International Atomic Energy Agency reported on Friday that repairs to power infrastructure near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were completed under a temporary ceasefire. The work strengthened the plant's connection to the Ferosplavna-1 external power line, reducing the risk of another loss of off-site electricity at Europe's largest nuclear power station.