The first oil tankers, which were supposed to transport Russian diesel to the United States, changed course and were no longer heading towards the American coast. This decision is likely to put a final end to the agreement concluded between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin before the midterm elections. For its part, Moscow denied changing the tankers' route, according to Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian businessman close to Putin, who described it as "fake news."

Published on: 06/11/2026 - 18:05 Last updated: 06/11/2026 - 18:39

The Agioi Vanendis oil tanker remains Donald Trump's last chance to see his controversial "deal" with Vladimir Putin regarding the import of Russian diesel come to fruition.

Among the first three oil tankers that left Russia to officially deliver their cargo to the United States, this ship, flying the Maltese flag, remains the only one that did not change course on its way toward the American coast, according to what the Financial Times newspaper reported in an article published on Wednesday.

As for the "Talisman", a Russian tanker listed on international sanctions, which had left the St. Petersburg area on October 22, it suddenly changed course and moved away from the Atlantic Ocean to head towards the Mediterranean Sea.

In turn, the tanker "Liro", which is also subject to sanctions from the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, continues its journey in the Atlantic Ocean, but it has changed its official course, currently heading towards Brazil.

"fake news"

For its part, Moscow denied any change in the route of Russian diesel tankers that were heading to the United States. The Russian businessman close to Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, commented on the “X” platform on a report by the British newspaper “Financial Times”, which indicated a change in the course of two of the three tankers in question, saying: “Fake news”... oil tankers bound for the United States continue their journey.”

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The end of the Russian diesel deal

Everything remains possible for the tanker "Agioi Vanendes", but the American coast is no longer its official destination, and it is currently in a position "waiting for orders."

“The ship was expected to arrive in New York over the weekend [November 7],” Matt Smith, an analyst at Kepler, a global provider of marine data and analysis, points out in the British Financial Times, “just a few days ago.” For this expert, he has no doubt that Donald Trump's last hope - for Russian diesel fuel to reach American ports - will end up being diverted to other destinations.

In turn, Kevin Rowlands, a specialist in maritime security at the Royal United Services Institute, an influential British research center concerned with defense issues, confirms that if these expectations are fulfilled, “the agreement announced in October, even if it remains valid in theory, can be considered concluded in practice.”

Rowlands is certain that the route of these three oil tankers finally turns the page on an agreement that was “very fragile from its beginning.” Donald Trump announced this agreement amid great media fanfare on October 9, as a response to the rise in fuel prices.

Trump also confirmed at the time that Russia would export “millions” of tons of diesel fuel to the United States. Following this, the US Treasury Department issued regulations allowing US companies to buy, import and resell Russian diesel, despite the US sanctions imposed.

As a result of this presidential exception, Moscow, in turn, lifted the ban it had imposed a few months ago on the export of diesel, which was aimed at addressing the fuel shortage inside Russia, resulting from the Ukrainian bombing of its oil facilities.

The tankers "Agioi Fanendis", "Liro" and "Talisman" were able to sail, but in secret, as the matter of these shipments was only revealed thanks to the vigilance of non-governmental organizations, "Greenpeace" and specialized companies such as "Kepler".

Who would risk buying diesel fuel?

It is noteworthy that the Russian-American agreement had sparked a wave of sharp objections in American political circles. The economic logic of an agreement that would have generated millions of dollars for Moscow raised doubts among analysts, especially since the hundreds of thousands of tons of diesel that Russia promised to supply “quickly” would not have been enough to cover one day’s needs of the United States.

However, the arrival of the three oil tankers would have at least given Trump an opportunity to prove his promises. So why did she decide to change course? “It is difficult to give a specific reason for this sudden shift,” admits Maximilian Hess, founder of the consulting firm Enemtena Advisory and author of Economic Warfare: Ukraine and the Global Conflict between Russia and the West.

In fact, there may be several explanations, the first of which relates to the risks that buyers of Russian diesel fuel may face, despite an exception signed by Trump. Kevin Rowlands notes that “the American president can sign an international agreement, but to ensure its implementation, the federal authority may encounter resistance from some state governors” in America.

“Harsh” civil and criminal penalties

It is noteworthy that New Jersey Governor Mickey Sherrill on Monday warned local port officials and terminal operators against accepting Russian diesel, saying that these shipments violate federal law.

Sherrill stated that Congress would ban Russian energy imports under the “Russian Oil Import Termination Act” in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

She added that importing Russian diesel violates this law and may expose companies and individuals using New Jersey ports to “harsh” civil and criminal penalties.

How could this happen despite Donald Trump signing an exception to sanctions on Russian diesel? The matter is mainly due to the multiple sanctions regimes imposed on Russia and currently in effect in the United States. Opponents of the agreement say that the exception signed by Trump is not related to the “Russian Oil Import Ending Act,” which was passed in 2022, and requires the president to obtain congressional approval before granting any exemption from sanctions imposed on Russian oil.

Trump is at his weakest

Maximilian Hess points out that "we should not forget that there are also European and British sanctions on Russian oil." This expert believes that "it is possible that Russian oil tankers did not find an American buyer willing to bear the risks of being exposed to these sanctions."

It is noteworthy that the sanctions are activated as soon as any European entity - whether an insurance company, a bank, or any other intermediary - participates in a deal related to sanctioned oil. "If this is the reason for the disruption to the delivery of the diesel shipment, then this is a victory for the measures put in place by the European Union," Hess adds.

The changing political climate in the United States may also play a role. Kevin Rowlands explains: “Moscow realized that Trump’s authority had declined, and the results of the midterm elections confirmed that the risk of oil tankers being detained in American ports had increased significantly, which is something the Kremlin cannot accept.” It appears that officials, such as Governor Mikki Sherrill, are now more inclined to ignore the wishes of a president whose position has become weak.

"Purely political goal"?

For his part, Dirk Siebels, a maritime security specialist at Risk Intelligence, raises another possibility, saying, “Maybe these tankers had no actual intention of reaching the United States.”

The expert explains that the goal of this step was “purely political, in an attempt to reduce prices before the midterm elections.”

It is noteworthy that the images of oil tankers actually on their way towards the United States allowed a tangible signal to be sent to the financial markets. In this context, Moscow saw that the political gains resulting from keeping up with Trump were worth bearing additional costs, as the tankers headed to the United States, before later changing their course to go towards their actual destinations (Brazil, for example) to unload their cargo.

Kevin Rowlands points out that once “the election was over and the effort had had no effect, there was no longer any justification for continuing to nurture such illusions...”

Rowlands concludes that tankers changing their route, whatever the reasons, represents the best possible way out for all parties. The United States thus avoids a new source of confrontation between the president and the Democrats, on the one hand, and the Russians can sell diesel shipments in other markets, on the other hand. As for the Europeans, they will feel relieved that the deal will inevitably fail.

French text: Sébastien Saibet | Return it to Arabic: Fares Bushiya

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