Russia sees positive prospects for deal with US on diesel fuel supplies to global markets

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia sees positive prospects for a potential deal with the US on Russian diesel fuel supplies to global markets, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Tuesday.

"I think there are good prospects here, and we will work to realize them. So far, everything looks positive," he said at a news conference in Moscow.

Ryabkov said Russia was prepared to supply diesel fuel to global markets beyond 2026-2027, and Russian officials were working to align that timeframe with the limits set out in US executive documents.

On Oct. 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump held a phone call during which they discussed, among other issues, supplies of petroleum products. Putin said Moscow had confirmed its readiness to supply oil and petroleum products to the US and global markets.

Ryabkov also said Russia’s approach to a possible settlement in Ukraine would not change following what he described as Trump’s decision to postpone additional sanctions against Russia.

"Our fundamental position and our approach to a possible settlement framework do not change as a result of these decisions," he said, adding that Washington and European capitals were familiar with Moscow’s position.

Russia’s priority is to find a formula for a sustainable settlement that addresses what it considers the root causes of the crisis and resolves the issues that led to the current situation, Ryabkov said.

The diplomat added that Moscow saw no readiness in Kyiv or among Ukraine’s main sponsors to address those issues.

At the same time, Russia welcomes the US administration’s efforts to facilitate a settlement, he said.

The official also confirmed that Russia and the US continue to communicate on prisoner releases through intelligence channels, with the relevant agencies remaining in contact.

However, there is no bilateral dialogue on arms control or strategic stability at present, he said, with contacts limited to occasional meetings between senior officials on the sidelines of multilateral events, including the Conference on Disarmament and sessions of the UN General Assembly.

Ryabkov said further contacts could take place within the P5 group of five nuclear-weapon states, currently coordinated by France, but he saw no immediate prospects for resuming a bilateral strategic stability dialogue with Washington.