On August 15, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump (Republican) welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin upon his arrival at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin has conveyed to US President Donald Trump the Iranian government’s vision for a possible end to the Iran war, Russian state media reported on Saturday.
The report was released a day after President Trump said Russia would supply diesel to the global market amid soaring energy prices due to the war in Iran and Ukraine.
Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that Putin sent the message to Trump “on the basis of an agreement with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.”
According to other Russian media reports, President Putin spoke by phone with President Trump after meeting with President Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the summit in Turkmenistan.
The Interfax news agency did not elaborate on details of how Iran sees an end to the war, which began with US and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets on February 28.
The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s email request for confirmation of the reported conversation between Putin and Trump.
Russian supply agreement
President Trump said on Friday that Russia would supply more than 4 million tons of diesel to the global market under a deal he said was reached in a phone call with President Putin.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that Russia would provide more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, followed by 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons shortly thereafter. President Trump said Russia would then deliver an additional 3 million tons of diesel depending on the situation at Russian refineries.
The Treasury Department has temporarily waived sanctions on Russian diesel until April 2027 under a general permit issued Friday.
Brent crude oil price, USD per barrel, year-to-date
Iran has stepped up attacks on oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with vessels coming under near-daily shelling as Tehran tries to halt a recovery in crude oil exports.
A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards official said on Wednesday that Iran would cut off all “illegal routes” through Hormuz, according to Fars News Agency, a news outlet said to be close to the Revolutionary Guards.
The surge in attacks on tankers came as crude oil exports from the Middle East returned to pre-war levels in September, largely as U.S. forces escorted ships passing through Hormuz on the Omani coast.
An interim agreement signed in June between the United States and Iran to suspend hostilities to allow negotiations quickly collapsed.
“A gift to President Putin”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was quick to condemn President Trump and President Putin’s diesel deal. Ukraine’s leader warned that easing sanctions without Russia’s commitment to de-escalate the war would only prolong the war.
“Gifts to President Putin will bring neither peace nor benefit to the civilized world,” Zelenskiy said in a social media post. “Russia will ‘repay’ Diesel with more fear and betrayal. Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is an investment in a war that must end, not prolong.”
Diesel prices have soared around the world as Ukraine squeezes Russian refineries, forcing the Russian government to ban diesel exports to global markets. Iran and its Houthi allies have also attacked refineries in the Middle East, further constraining fuel supplies.
President Trump is increasing political pressure to lower fuel prices ahead of the November midterm elections. Republicans face tough elections in conservative strongholds like Iowa, where farmers are feeling the pinch from soaring diesel prices.
