Senators Urge Trump to Revoke Diesel Deal with Russia

A bipartisan group of senators is urging President Trump to reverse his recent diesel agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling it a “betrayal of the people of Ukraine.” The announcement of this deal was a shock to lawmakers, who had recently passed legislation designed to impose substantial tariffs on major importers of Russian oil.

Last week, Trump announced through social media that he secured a deal with Putin to provide over 300,000 tons of diesel to American and global markets. The plan includes an additional 500,000 tons in November, with one million more tons shortly after that. Trump mentioned that Russia promises to supply 3,000,000 tons of diesel fuel within a short timeframe, depending on the condition of their refineries.

This action conflicts with prior legislation, named in honor of the late GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, aimed at sanctioning Russian entities involved in the Ukraine conflict. The legislation had broad support due to Graham’s role in negotiating Trump’s backing for the tariffs.

The deal is a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our allies; it should be rescinded.

This was the central message from six Republican and six Democratic senators who expressed their concerns in a letter to President Trump. They asserted that this agreement won’t serve American interests and will empower Russia’s military activities in Ukraine.

While acknowledging America’s need to reduce energy costs, the senators argued that the influx of Russian diesel would not significantly alleviate the situation for Americans. Instead, they claimed it would further enable Russia financially to continue its aggressive actions.

In response to the letter, the White House referred back to President Trump’s remarks, stating that the diesel deal’s proceeds would not benefit Russia in purchasing weapons. Trump labeled the agreement as a transaction aiming to supply the global market affected by high prices rather than directly impacting the U.S.

The senators who signed the letter include Democrats Richard Blumenthal, Chris Coons, Dick Durbin, Jack Reed, Jeanne Shaheen, and Sheldon Whitehouse. They were joined by Republicans Alan Armstrong, Susan Collins, John Cornyn, Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, and Thom Tillis.