A 2022 law banning the import of Russian energy amidst the Russian-Ukraine conflict was violated by the Trump administration. The import of Russian diesel has led to bipartisan opposition.
President Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke over the phone on Oct. 9. Following the call, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control lifted restrictions against the “import sale, delivery, offloading, or importation” of Russian diesel. The war in Iran has caused the price of diesel to rise drastically over the past several months and the new deal could potentially lower costs.
Congress requires that before lifting the sanctions, however, the president consults with them. According to a statement from six senators, the administration failed to do so and acted without consultation.
Bipartisan backlash from multiple senators, including Utah Sen. John Curtis, called for Trump to “immediately reverse course.”
“Congress explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent American dollars from financing Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine,” Congress members wrote in a statement. “Congress was clear: the U.S. should not import oil from Russia until it ends its aggression against Ukraine and ceases threats against our NATO Allies.”
The group added, “President Trump’s decision to allow Russian diesel imports to the U.S. runs directly counter to that law.”
Rep. Lloyd Doggett from Texas, who sponsored the law blocking the imports of Russian energy, said he opposes lifting the sanctions.
“Trump is directly violating that law, lifting sanctions to permit the first Russian diesel imports into the United States since the law took effect, without satisfying the specific legal conditions it requires,” Doggett said. “He illegally rewards his pal Putin while once again blaming Zelensky for not capitulating to Putin. Meanwhile, every day Putin murders more Ukrainian civilians.”
The deal will initially supply the U.S. with 300,000 tons of diesel.
Author: Andrew Streeter
Photo courtesy of Allison Robbert, AP News
Editor: Hannah Clove
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