Several senators from both major U.S. parties are questioning the president’s decision, saying it provides financial support to Putin.
A bipartisan group of senators is calling on President Donald Trump to “immediately reverse course” on allowing imports of Russian diesel, accusing the administration of violating federal law and providing Moscow with crucial financial support for its war against Ukraine.
“President Trump’s decision to allow imports of Russian diesel into the United States directly violates that law,” the senators said in a statement released Sunday, citing Congress’s 2022 ban on Russian energy imports.
“The administration has also failed to consult Congress or provide any explanation justifying its decision, as required by law,” the senators said, according to Politico.
“The U.S. should not bail out Russia”
Those criticizing the decision include four Republicans—Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and John Curtis of Utah—alongside Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, and Ron Wyden of Oregon.
Shaheen is the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Trump announced Friday that Russia would supply hundreds of thousands of metric tons of diesel “to the American and global markets” following a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Treasury Department subsequently issued a general license allowing Russian diesel imports into the United States through April 2027.
“The United States should not give Putin a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians,” the senators wrote.
“Russia is the one that can end this war”
Tillis, a Republican who frequently breaks with the Trump administration, had already questioned the deal’s legality during an appearance Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He highlighted the conditions set out in the 2022 law for lifting the import ban, including Russia’s complete withdrawal from Ukraine.
“I truly believe there are legitimate grounds to argue that the president is not complying with the law,” Tillis said.
“We have been very clear that Russia is the aggressor. Russia is the one that can end this war by withdrawing from the territories it has occupied,” he said.
Not everyone opposes the agreement. Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who has clashed with Trump on several issues, said the United States should lift sanctions on all petroleum products.
“An investment in a war that must end”
In addition to the initial shipment of 300,000 metric tons of diesel, Trump said Russia would supply another 500,000 metric tons in November, followed by a further one million.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak confirmed those figures to TASS, the country’s state news agency, saying export volumes could eventually reach three million metric tons per month.
Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, told Fox News that the agreement would operate through existing legal channels available to the United States to help bring down prices, and that any member of Congress claiming otherwise was mistaken.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the agreement as a gift to Putin, calling it “an investment in a war that must end.”
Americans’ problem, Trump’s problem
Rising prices have become a major concern for Americans ahead of next month’s midterm elections, which will determine whether Trump’s Republican Party retains control of Congress, according to the BBC.
Polls show that most Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy and the war in Iran, and he has been looking for ways to ease the political difficulties facing his party.
The impact of the war in Iran has been felt particularly strongly in America’s agricultural states, which rely heavily on diesel to operate farm machinery and transport their products to market.
The average U.S. diesel price currently stands at $6.28 per gallon, according to AAA, down from the record high of $6.53 reached in late September.
Can Russia export the promised amount?
Analysts remain uncertain whether Russia can supply that much diesel and how much the shipments would help lower prices for American consumers.
In recent months, Russia has faced fuel shortages in some regions because of Ukrainian strikes on its energy infrastructure.
Even if Russia delivers on its promise, the practical impact of the shipments will initially be negligible.
The United States consumes approximately 3.6 million barrels of diesel per day. Even if Russia delivers the 300,000 metric tons promised this month, that would amount to roughly half of America’s daily consumption.
Trump has also faced criticism abroad.
Several international leaders have criticized the agreement, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and British Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, who said the United States and Ukraine’s other allies should focus on increasing pressure on Russia to end the war.
