OMM Newsroom
A fourth tanker carrying Russian diesel fuel to the United States is expected to depart on Wednesday, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday, according to Anadolu Agency.
Moscow has already dispatched three tankers under a deal agreed earlier this month between Russia and the United States, Novak said on the sidelines of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Moscow.
“There are currently three ships. The fourth has not yet departed. We expect it on the 28th,” he said.
Novak said he was surprised by the position of US politicians opposing the diesel deal, adding that Democrats were speaking or acting “not in the interests of the residents of the US”.
Russia is ready to resume gas supplies to Europe if European countries want them, Novak said. “For our part, we are ready. We have always been reliable suppliers,” he said.
He added that Russia could sell all of its gas in other markets if Europe declined to buy it. Novak said Russia had developed infrastructure in recent years to supply countries with growing consumption and economies, and said Russia had no problem selling its gas while the issue was “rather Europe’s problem”.
On China, Novak said liquefied natural gas cost Beijing more than Russian gas delivered by pipeline. He said a shortage of gas and affordable energy resources, along with rising prices, meant consumers were paying more and buying more expensive liquefied natural gas with longer transport routes.
Novak also said Europe was likely to need the Nord Stream pipelines over the long term. He said the development of pipeline infrastructure since the 1970s had benefited both Europe and Russia, and argued that Russia could help ensure the energy security of countries without their own energy resources, particularly in Europe.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced a diesel supply agreement after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Under the deal, Moscow agreed to “immediately supply” more than 300,000 tons of diesel to the United States and global markets.
Trump said Russia would supply a further 500,000 tons in November, followed by 1 million tons “immediately thereafter”. He said an additional 3 million tons would be delivered “within a short period”, depending on the condition of Russian diesel refineries.
Putin said Russian diesel supplies to the United States and global markets would benefit the world economy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the deal, warning that easing restrictions on Russian diesel exports could help finance Russia’s war effort.
