WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of a dozen senators pressed President Donald Trump on Tuesday to cancel an arrangement with Moscow that allows Russia to export millions of tons of diesel fuel onto global markets, warning the move undermines American foreign policy and strengthens the Kremlin.
In a joint letter sent to the White House on Tuesday, six Republican and six Democratic lawmakers called the energy pact a “gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our allies,” according to copies of the correspondence reported by NPR and CBS News. The senators urged Trump to withdraw from the initiative and immediately restore sanctions on Russia’s energy sector that had been waived by the Treasury Department.
Lawmakers challenge market impact
The controversy stems from an announcement Trump made late last week detailing discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Under the terms Trump outlined on social media, Russia would deliver an initial 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by 500,000 tons in November, one million tons shortly thereafter, and an eventual delivery of up to three million additional tons as refinery conditions allow.
CNBC reported that the total expected volume would reach roughly 4.8 million metric tons, or nearly 36 million barrels, through mid-April. Following the announcement, the Treasury Department authorized temporary sanctions waivers to allow the shipments, CBS News reported.
The lawmakers who signed Tuesday’s letter argued that releasing Russian fuel will not meaningfully lower domestic prices, which have surged alongside broader international tensions, including conflict involving Iran. According to AAA data cited by Yahoo Finance, the national average diesel price stood near $6.28 per gallon on Tuesday.
“Allowing Russian-origin diesel into global markets will offer limited to no relief to Americans,” the senators wrote, as quoted by CNBC. They asserted that while the agreement would have a “negligible impact on fuel prices,” the resulting revenue would help Moscow fund its war against Ukraine and bolster partnerships with North Korea, China and Iran.
The letter was signed by Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Alan Armstrong of Oklahoma, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and John Cornyn of Texas. They were joined by Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Chris Coons of Delaware, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
White House defends global supply strategy
Trump sought to minimize his personal role in the arrangement on Tuesday, telling reporters as he left the White House that the arrangement was crafted to alleviate international shortages rather than deliver fuel exclusively to the domestic market.
“That’s a diesel deal. Not for us. That’s being released into the world,” Trump told reporters, according to NPR. Yahoo Finance reported that Trump repeatedly described the measure as “not a USA deal,” even as his administration authorized domestic transactions under the temporary waivers through April.
The agreement has also provoked severe international friction. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharply condemned the pact, prompting Trump to respond by publicly suggesting Ukraine should seek a new president, CNBC reported.
Back on Capitol Hill, lawmakers cited measures passed over the summer directing the administration to enforce tough tariffs against purchasers of Russian oil. Analysts have questioned whether Russian refineries possess the operational capacity to export the promised quantities. It remains uncertain whether the White House will reconsider the sanctions waivers in response to congressional resistance, or if lawmakers will seek formal legislative action to block the transactions.
