Donald Trump's decision to import oil from Russia to America represents a significant change in the President's stance.
Majlis Three weeks ago, Trump signed legislation to impose new US sanctions and tariffs on countries that import Russian oil and gas.
Now, Trump says that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to supply millions of tons of diesel to the US and world markets in the coming months.
The deal comes as Trump is still grappling with the political fallout from the Iran war and its impact on global energy prices, and just weeks before US voters head to the polling booths to cast ballots in the midterm elections.
Due to the huge increase in fuel costs in the US, their image has been tarnished among the public affected by rising prices at petrol pumps and the resulting rising inflation.
The worst impact of this war has been on the agricultural states of America, which are heavily dependent on diesel to run agricultural machinery and transport their products to the market.
These are the same states – Iowa, Kansas, Texas and Ohio. These have become unexpected political grounds in the upcoming elections. These will determine whether Republicans maintain control of Congress.
What will be the effect?
The US President has been looking for ways to ease his party's political crisis for months.
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Recently he pressured European allies to further exploit their oil reserves.
He suspended federal taxes on fuel and allowed supplies destined for agricultural use to be used in interstate transportation.
He has also promised that he will not resume attacks on Iran until after the midterm elections. This is an unusually frank acknowledgment of the political ramifications of the current conflict.
His decision to compromise with Putin is his latest and most dramatic effort.
Incomplete information is often given in Trump's social media posts. How Russia is delivering this fuel to the global market and what it is getting in return, other than vital foreign exchange, is not clear.
This could lead to Trump facing criticism from European allies and American politicians that his administration is now helping finance the Russian war machine.
Ukrainian President Zelensky described the agreement as a "gift" to Putin, for which Russia would "pay" with "terrorism and betrayal".
"Allowing Russia to sell petroleum products is investing in a war that should be ended, not prolonged," he wrote on X.
It is also uncertain how much this step of Trump will benefit the Republican Party in the elections.
The promised availability of diesel in Europe has not resulted in much change in energy prices, and there is no information on how quickly the Russian fuel could reach the market.
Its diesel refinery capacity has been damaged by repeated Ukrainian attacks, attacks that Trump has encouraged Zelensky to reduce.
The US uses about 3.6 million barrels of diesel per day. So even if Russia supplies 300,000 tons of diesel this month as promised, it will be almost half of America's daily consumption.
Americans may not notice much of a difference immediately.
Less than a month before the midterm elections in November, early voting has begun in many states. The political field is almost ready.
"Low prices for Americans, especially our farmers, ranchers and truck drivers, is my top priority," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
But over the past seven months, the prices of energy, fuel and consumer goods have only risen while Trump and his officials have repeatedly assured a worried public that a successful resolution of the war and a reduction in its economic impact is imminent.
Trump may be left hoping that his latest deal, bypassing potentially uncomfortable diplomatic issues, will be enough to convince American voters that his promises of economic relief are not just empty words.
