U.S. and Russia tout diesel deal to ease sanctions and reopen fuel flows

Moscow and Washington tout a diesel deal to ease sanctions and reopen fuel flows, but few details leave questions on price impacts and U.S. policy, sparking anger from Ukraine and allies. Transcript SCOTT SIMON, HOST: President Trump says the U.S. will begin to import Russian diesel to try to drive down gas prices before the midterm elections. The U.S. had banned Russian diesel to limit Russia's revenue amid the war in Ukraine. NPR's Russia correspondent Charles Maynes joins us from Moscow. Charles, thanks for being with us.CHARLES MAYNES, BYLINE: Good morning, Scott.SIMON: And tell us, please, about the president's announcement. I gather it was on social media.MAYNES: Yeah. That's right. Trump revealed the news on his Truth Social platform. He wrote that he'd had a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin of Russia whereby Putin agreed to immediately supply over 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to the U.S. and global markets, with more to follow.Trump said this meant diesel prices for Americans and for the rest of the world would be coming down - in his words - in record numbers and fast. That was in all caps. And he said he did this with certain constituencies in min...