> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://foxwatershed.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Trump Lifts Sanctions on Russian Diesel as Wisconsin Farmers Pay $6.20 a Gallon - URL: https://foxwatershed.com/trump-russia-diesel-deal-wisconsin-prices/ - Published: 2026-10-11T21:11:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-20T21:13:32.000Z - Description: Treasury is letting Russian diesel back onto world markets until April 2027, three weeks after Trump signed a law meant to choke off Moscow's energy money. The volumes he announced would cover less than 10 days of U.S. demand. - Author: Fox Watershed Staff - Tags: National, Trump Administration, Wisconsin The Treasury Department is letting Russian diesel back onto world markets until April 2027, after President Donald Trump announced Friday that he'd struck a fuel deal with Vladimir Putin. The move reverses years of U.S. pressure on Moscow's energy revenue, comes three weeks after Trump signed a law meant to squeeze that revenue harder, and lands on Wisconsin farmers in the middle of harvest, with diesel still above $6 a gallon here. In a [Truth Social post Friday](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117412435306815143?ref=foxwatershed.com), Trump said Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, then 500,000 tons in November, 1 million tons after that and 3 million more "within a short period of time," [according to the Associated Press](https://www.npr.org/2026/10/09/nx-s1-5996912/trump-says-u-s-to-get-diesel-from-russia-relaxing-pressure-on-moscow-to-ease-prices-before-midterms?ref=foxwatershed.com). He framed it as relief for farmers, ranchers and truckers. The White House didn't say who would pay for the fuel, when it would arrive, or whether November's shipments would land before the Nov. 3 election. ## What Treasury actually did Hours after the post, Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued [General License 13](https://www.newsquawk.com/headlines/us-treasury-ofac-issues-russia-related-general-license-13-authorised-through-1201-am-eastern-daylight-time-april-7th--2027?ref=foxwatershed.com), authorizing transactions in Russian-origin diesel through April 7, 2027\. The AP reported it covers diesel already loaded onto tankers as of Friday, and that it's the first diesel waiver since Russia invaded Ukraine to run longer than the standard 30 days. That's a sharp turn from Sept. 18, when Trump signed the sanctions bill named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. It passed [86-11 in the Senate and 262-159 in the House](https://abc7news.com/post/president-donald-trump-signs-sweeping-russia-sanctions-bill-named-lindsey-graham-aiming-choke-off-funds-moscow/19848414/?ref=foxwatershed.com), and it targets Russian officials, banks and the "shadow fleet" of tankers that moves Russian oil. It also directs the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five biggest buyers of Russian oil or gas. The U.S. itself hasn't imported Russian oil or gas since the Biden administration banned it in 2022. ## Login for a clean experience Sponsorships, email signups, and most ads are disabled once signed in with a free account. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No Spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that there's ["a legitimate case" the president isn't following the law](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/thom-tillis-fuel-deal-russia-may-break-law-ukraine-rcna602757?ref=foxwatershed.com), and he tied his support for year-end military funding to the issue. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, [urged Trump to use the new sanctions tools instead](https://www.wisn.com/article/lawmakers-react-trump-diesel-deal-russia-ukraine/74098133?ref=foxwatershed.com), saying Russia's return to energy markets can be discussed "once the war is over." Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Elizabeth Warren called it "a total betrayal of Ukraine." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it "a weak decision by strong partners." Trump answered Saturday that Ukraine should get a new leader, then announced Sunday that both countries had agreed to an "energy ceasefire," which Zelenskyy [told Axios was "news for me"](https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/trump-russia-ukraine-agree-energy-ceasefire-zelenskyy-diesel-rcna602766?ref=foxwatershed.com). Trump made a similar claim a month ago, and both sides kept striking each other's energy sites. ## How much diesel that is Not much, measured against American demand. Trump didn't say whether he meant metric tons, but assuming he did, the full 4.8 million tons works out to roughly 35.5 million barrels, [a Forbes analysis found](https://www.forbes.com/sites/eriksherman/2026/10/10/trumps-announcement-of-russian-diesel-means-nothing/?ref=foxwatershed.com), less than 10 days of U.S. diesel use based on Energy Information Administration figures. The first 300,000 tons equals about three-quarters of a single day of transportation-sector demand. Getting even that much is uncertain. Russia has banned its own diesel exports since July because Ukrainian drone strikes on its refineries left it short at home, and the International Energy Agency says Russian diesel output is down about 30%. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow is lifting export limits early and could ship to the U.S. this month. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, [told WISN](https://www.wisn.com/article/lawmakers-react-trump-diesel-deal-russia-ukraine/74098133?ref=foxwatershed.com) the deal may be difficult to carry out and predicted a short-term drop of 10 to 20 cents a gallon. The bigger driver sits elsewhere. Diesel has climbed about 70% since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran in February, [Al Jazeera reported](https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/10/9/trump-announces-russian-diesel-deal-amid-soaring-us-fuel-prices?ref=foxwatershed.com). NBC News noted Trump has blamed Ukraine's refinery strikes, rather than the Iran war, for the shortage. The national average hit a record $6.52 on Sept. 22. ## What it costs in Northeast Wisconsin [AAA's Wisconsin page](https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=WI&ref=foxwatershed.com) put the statewide diesel average at $6.20 Sunday, down from $6.33 a week earlier and up from $3.43 a year ago. Green Bay averaged $6.15 and Appleton $6.23\. On Sept. 17, [WSAW reported](https://www.wsaw.com/2026/09/17/wisconsin-diesel-prices-reach-record-high-619-per-gallon/?ref=foxwatershed.com) a then-record state average of $6.19, and prices are still above that mark. The timing hits farm country hardest. Combines and grain trucks run on diesel, and so does the freight that stocks grocery shelves. Agriculture Secretary Randy Romanski [told WPR](https://www.wpr.org/news/wisconsin-farmers-struggle-afford-diesel-harvest-season?ref=foxwatershed.com) that more farmers are calling the state's Farm Center for financial consulting and transition planning this year, and he pointed to fuel and tariffs. Joel Greeno, who farms 160 acres near Kendall, told WPR that for a lot of farmers, "this may just be the end." Wisconsin farm bankruptcies have risen two years running. [Northeast Wisconsin Feels the Squeeze: Gas, Rates, JobsSeptember hiring stalled at 29,000 jobs while gas topped $4 in Green Bay and mortgage rates passed 7%. Here's what it means for Northeast Wisconsin.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ed/b4/edb4fd27-66fb-4967-8c7f-ec1cf54dfb05/content/images/icon/transparent-5-f9acd2ec-b69d-4978-99e2-2b0fd5aedf94.png)Fox WatershedFox Watershed Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/ed/b4/edb4fd27-66fb-4967-8c7f-ec1cf54dfb05/content/images/thumbnail/alexander-grey-8lnbXtxFGZw-unsplash-d040cb66-f0ac-48c8-9d8e-b5ece90d23b9.jpg)](https://foxwatershed.com/northeast-wisconsin-economy-squeeze-gas-mortgages-jobs/) At an Oct. 5 gathering of farmers and truckers on an Eau Claire farm, Cyndi Greening of Chippewa Valley Indivisible [told WEAU](https://www.weau.com/2026/10/05/local-farmers-deal-with-record-diesel-prices-amid-busy-harvest-season/?ref=foxwatershed.com) that everything in the store "rides on the back of that diesel price." Farm advocates there called the G7's release of 100 million barrels from reserves a short-term fix.