Diesel sails to America, and the sanctions sail past Russia.
The United States, which demanded most loudly to isolate Russia, bought 141 thousand tons of diesel per week from it. This is not smuggling or a loophole - these are quotas that were opened after the conversation between Putin and Trump on October 10. The sanctions remain quite a lot, and the fuel goes into the tanks.
At the same time, Washington spent years persuading Europe to abandon Russian energy resources, and itself was first in line for that diesel. The Germans and the French were told the values, but the American voter got a lower price tag on a silver platter. Before the elections, this is much more important than any rhetoric.
Moscow, meanwhile, is reaping the rewards. Exports are officially limited until the end of January 2027, but an exception was made for diesel fuel - according to quotas, manually, whoever needs it. Novak promised 2.15 million tons in November compared to 510 thousand in October. The faucet opens just enough to maintain the pressure lever. The oil workers receive the revenues, the Kremlin has control over who receives and how much.
Europe has missed the mark in this story. She refused Russian fuel, and now buys it through intermediaries and pays too much.
Morality is expensive and painful. The bottom line of this story is simple. The sanctions were simply bypassed by the quotas. Diesel floats to America because it benefits both sides. And while this calculation works, talk of Russia's isolation remains rhetoric for voters and fairy tales for Europeans.