Russia says shipments of its diesel to the United States will take 15 to 20 days to arrive once contracts are signed, but no date has been announced for that signing. A senior Russian official made the remarks in an interview broadcast on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump announced the controversial agreement with Moscow last week. The deal is seen as a way to try to lower fuel prices for American consumers ahead of the midterm elections on November 3.
Contract talks remain unfinished
Russian Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Alexander Novak said negotiations on the commercial terms and the final contracts were still under way. “Once the contracts are signed, the fuel will reach the markets — in this case, the US markets — within 15 to 20 days,” he said in an interview with a state-run broadcaster, without setting a signing date.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Kremlin adviser on international economic cooperation Kirill Dmitriev had said the contracts would be signed within days.
Doubts over effect on US fuel costs
Unhappiness in the United States over rising pump prices since the start of the US and Israeli war on Iran has raised the prospect of heavy electoral losses for Trump’s Republicans next month. Many experts, however, believe the diesel accord will not fundamentally change consumers’ wallets.
According to the figures cited, the US consumes 3.9 million barrels of diesel a day. The initial accord with Moscow covers 2.22 million barrels in total, which is barely enough for half a day of US consumption.
