tagesschau 20:00 Uhr, 10.10.2026

In the United States, diesel prices have hit an all-time high of over six dollars a gallon, and with midterm elections just weeks away, President Donald Trump has announced a deal with Russia’s Vladimir Putin to bring hundreds of thousands of tons of diesel to the U.S. and global markets. The agreement requires temporarily lifting existing sanctions on Russia. But experts say the volumes are far too small to affect prices at the pump, and the move has drawn sharp criticism from Ukraine and within Germany, which refuses to follow suit.

Trump’s Diesel Deal with Russia: Politics Over Impact

Trump framed the agreement as a “Riesendeal” during a public appearance with boxer Mike Tyson. Under its terms, Russia will supply 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, with an additional 500,000 tons promised in November. The U.S. Treasury has issued a temporary import license to allow the transaction. However, the Fuels and Energy Association in Germany expects little to no effect at German gas stations. One analyst quoted in the episode stated bluntly: “The amount is so small that it will have no price effects at all. It won’t even cover one day’s demand, let alone what’s supposed to be delivered by the midterms.” The episode suggests Trump’s primary goal is creating a political narrative rather than solving the energy crisis. The shift is a stark reversal from just weeks earlier, when T