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The first Russian diesel bound for the \u200cUS following a surprise agreement reached between Moscow and US President Donald Trump is aboard a tanker heading for New York, ship-tracking data showed on Friday.<\/strong><\/p>\n Trump announced the deal this month as part of his efforts to bring down soaring diesel prices ahead of November 3 US mid-term elections.<\/p>\n Trump also waived parts of a new US sanctions \u200blaw against Russia and threatened Europe with a US diesel export ban unless countries released more from their emergency \u200breserves to help ease prices.<\/p>\n The Malta-flagged medium-sized tanker Agioi Fanendes was loaded with 40,000 metric tons \u2060of ultra-low sulphur diesel in Russia\u2019s Baltic port of Primorsk on October 22, according to LSEG shipping data. It is expected to \u200barrive in the United States on November 7.<\/p>\n The identity of the buyer and seller were not immediately known. The cargo will \u200bbe the first imported by the US since former President Joe Biden announced a ban on US imports of Russian oil and petroleum products in 2022.<\/p>\n Trump announced on October 9 that Russia would immediately export 300,000 metric tons, or 2.25 million barrels, to the US and global markets, followed \u200bby 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons \u201cimmediately thereafter\u201d.<\/p>\n A Kremlin spokesperson on Friday confirmed a first ship under the \u200bdeal had departed, but did not specify whether it was bound for the US market or elsewhere.<\/p>\n \u201cAs far as I\u2019m aware, there have already \u200cbeen \u2060reports from the Ministry of Energy that the first tanker has, in fact, set sail for its recipients, its buyers. Further shipments will continue at a steady pace from here on,\u201d Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on a daily conference call.<\/p>\n The deal with the US involved Russia lifting a self-imposed ban on diesel exports.<\/p>\n RUSSIA RESUMING GLOBAL EXPORTSSince the EU imposed a full embargo \u200bon imports of Russian oil products \u200bin February 2023 over \u2060the war in Ukraine, Russia has exported diesel mainly to Turkey and Brazil, as well as to African countries.<\/p>\n It also supplies Central Asia by rail.<\/p>\n Shipping data from LSEG and Kpler published this week showed Russian \u200bdiesel cargoes resuming voyages to their traditional destinations after Moscow lifted its own ban, with at least \u200btwo tankers signalling \u2060trips to Turkey and Brazil.<\/p>\n It was unclear where other tankers were destined for, with cargoes loaded in Primorsk signalling Gibraltar, the Atlantic Coast or Port-Said, LSEG data showed.<\/p>\n Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has said additional US shipments would follow as companies from the two countries work out the necessary contracts.<\/p>\n Putin envoy \u2060Kirill Dmitriev, \u200bwho also heads Russia\u2019s sovereign wealth fund, said last week that the US \u200bTreasury had asked the fund to help sort out tricky payment issues relating to the agreement.<\/p>\n Novak has said that Russia would be able to increase its diesel exports \u200bto its usual levels of 3-3.5 million tons per month by year-end.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n