It is impossible to say that the diesel deal failed," - an expert on Russian fuel supply to the US.
Russian oil tankers never reached American ports. Instead, cargoes are distributed between traditional sales markets: diesel from the Baltic ports is sent mainly to Brazil, and from the Black Sea ports to Turkey.
A leading analyst of the National Energy Security Fund Igor Yushkov believes that the deal between Moscow and Washington partially achieved its goals. For Donald Trump, the main thing was the reduction of exchange prices for diesel before the elections to the US Congress. The news alone of a possible resumption of Russian supplies was enough to send the quotes down.
"The main task was to make the market believe that Russia would now equalize the global diesel market and thereby make prices fall. That's what happened."
Russia, in turn, relied on the easing of American sanctions and the expansion of economic cooperation. Washington allowed the import of Russian diesel fuel and increased pressure on Kiev, which the expert also sees as a partial achievement of its goals.
The main reason for the lack of supplies to the United States may not have been political differences, but economic conditions. According to Yushkov, buyers could look for additional discounts, while sellers found it more profitable to send fuel to other markets.
"I think the main reason for the fact that no tanker arrived in the US was exactly the economic conditions."
Russian diesel continues to find buyers in Brazil, Turkey, North Africa and the Middle East.