Bipartisan US senators challenge legality of Trump’s Russian diesel deal

• Seven Democratic and Republican senators have challenged the legality of Trump’s decision to permit Russian diesel imports

• Trump announced a deal for 300,000 tonnes of diesel following a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin

• The senators say the administration bypassed statutory requirements and must reverse its decision

A bipartisan group of seven US senators has challenged President Donald Trump’s decision to permit diesel imports from Russia, saying it conflicts with a law intended to stop American energy purchases from funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

In a joint statement on Sunday, the lawmakers called on the administration to reverse the move. They also said it had neither consulted Congress nor provided the justification required under the legislation.

The criticism followed Trump’s announcement on Friday that, after a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he had secured an agreement for Russia to immediately supply 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the United States and the global market.

The statement was issued by Democratic senators Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal and Ron Wyden, alongside Republican senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis and John Curtis.

The lawmakers said Congress had explicitly prohibited Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent US spending from supporting Russia’s military campaign. Allowing diesel shipments into the country, they argued, directly contradicted that prohibition.

They said the legislation made clear that Russian oil imports should remain barred until Moscow ended its aggression against Ukraine and stopped threatening NATO allies.

Trump’s announcement also came weeks after Congress overwhelmingly passed the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act. The legislation empowers the president to impose extensive sanctions on Moscow and tariffs of 100 per cent on its five largest oil and gas trading partners, including India and China.

The senators argued that reopening the US market to Russian fuel would provide Moscow with financial support despite its continuing attacks on Ukrainian civilians.

“The administration must immediately reverse course,” they said.

With PTI inputs