General agreement on diesel supplies from Russia exists, companies must confirm specific deals - Turkish energy minister

ISTANBUL. Oct 23 (Interfax) - A general agreement on supplies of diesel fuel from Russia to Turkey exists, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told journalists on the sidelines of the Verona Eurasian Economic Forum.

"Companies must confirm this, but we have an agreement on this matter," Bayraktar said.

As reported, to maintain stability on the fuel market in Russia, a ban on diesel exports was introduced. For producers, it was to be in effect until October 31, 2026, and for non-producers until January 31, 2027.

On October 9, U.S. President Donald Trump had a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which the parties addressed Russian supplies of diesel fuel to the United States and international markets. The United States Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), acting on instructions from Trump, promptly issued a temporary general license authorizing the supply of Russian diesel fuel to the global market following the call. The next day, the Russian government announced that the ban on diesel fuel exports from Russia had been partially lifted, and the decision took effect on October 10.

Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak later said that this decision would not affect the interests of Russian consumers. "Diesel fuel in Russia is produced from Russian crude oil at domestic refineries. Production volumes are sufficient to fully meet domestic demand while also allowing for the export of the specified quantities to the global market," Novak said in the statement," he said.