Republican and Democratic members of the US Senate on Sunday called on President Donald Trump’s administration to immediately abandon a plan to buy diesel from Russia in an effort to lower high fuel prices, saying that allowing the imports directly conflicts with the ban Congress approved on Russian energy imports in 2022.
Trump announced on Friday via social media that he had reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call. The announcement surprised lawmakers as sanctions against Moscow over the war in Ukraine remain in place.
Senators stand by Russian energy ban
In a joint statement, the senators said Congress had expressly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent the financing of Putin’s war against Ukraine. They added that Congress had been clear that the United States should not import oil from Russia until Moscow ends its operations in Ukraine and stops threatening Washington’s allies in NATO.
The statement said Trump’s decision to allow Russian diesel imports into the United States directly conflicted with that law. The senators accused the administration of failing to consult Congress or provide a legally required explanation for its decision. The statement was signed by Republicans Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Curtis of Utah.
It was also signed by Democrats Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Ron Wyden of Oregon. The signatories stressed that the United States should not provide Putin with a “financial lifeline” while Russia continues killing Ukrainian civilians, and called on the administration to immediately reverse the decision.
Republican senator questions plan’s legality
Republican Senator Thom Tillis said in an interview broadcast on Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that there were legal grounds to argue that the president would not be complying with the law if the administration proceeded with the plan to buy Russian diesel. Tillis added: “We have been absolutely clear that Russia is the aggressor.
And Russia is the one that can end this war by withdrawing from the territories it has occupied.” The objection came as European countries announced that they would continue tightening sanctions on Moscow and supporting Ukraine. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country is a NATO member, also criticised the agreement between Washington and Moscow, saying it ran counter to efforts to achieve peace and stability in Europe.
Carney warns against financing Russia’s war
Carney said the agreement would provide Russia with additional revenues to help finance the war in Ukraine, noting that coordination with other allies was continuing to strengthen support for Ukraine’s air defence systems.
“We will continue to implement and tighten sanctions on Russia wherever this is effective, in support of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine”
