A group of twelve U.S. senators, including six Republicans, have urged President Donald Trump to revoke his recent diesel oil agreement with Russia. The senators expressed concerns that the deal would provide financial support to the Russian government for its actions in Ukraine, without benefiting the American people. This move has sparked criticism from Congress, representing a departure from the previous strong support shown by Republicans for Trump’s foreign policy decisions.
Trump announced on Friday that he would be lifting sanctions on Russian diesel exports, allowing Moscow to supply over 300,000 metric tons of diesel to both the U.S. and global markets. Despite Trump’s intentions to lower prices, the amount mentioned is only a fraction of the daily diesel consumption in the U.S. transportation sector.
In a letter to Trump, the senators described the deal as detrimental to American security interests and a betrayal of Ukraine, which is fighting against Putin’s actions. The bipartisan letter included signatures from prominent Republicans and Democrats, urging Trump to reconsider the agreement.
Under a recent law, Trump is facing a deadline to impose new sanctions on Russian energy or waive them in the national interest by October 18. The senators have called on Trump to enforce the sanctions outlined in the legislation named after the late Senator Lindsey O. Graham, a vocal critic of Russia.
Senators Collins, Murkowski, and Tillis, along with Democrats, have jointly requested Trump to reverse his decision on the diesel deal, citing U.S. laws prohibiting energy imports from Russia until it ceases its aggression in Ukraine. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has escalated since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.