Republican Senators Challenge Trump Diesel Deal With Russia

Twelve US senators, including six Republicans, challenged President Donald Trump's agreement with Moscow on Russian diesel exports, sending a public letter on Tuesday that urged the administration to maintain economic pressure on Russia during the Ukraine war.

According to the senators, the planned easing of US sanctions on Russian diesel exports could allow Moscow to increase revenue from energy sales. They argued the move would conflict with recently adopted congressional sanctions against Russia.

The senators described their opposition to the agreement as a matter of national security and support for Ukraine.

"A betrayal," the senators wrote in their public criticism of the agreement addressed to Donald Trump.

The lawmakers said the deal was reached after Trump's October 9 agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to their letter. They questioned whether the arrangement would provide benefits for Americans.

"The agreement you reached with President Vladimir Putin on October 9 will not lead to fair results and will not benefit Americans either," the senators wrote in the letter.

The senators said they opposed allowing Russian diesel to return more freely to international markets under the planned sanctions changes.

"It only allows Putin to further finance his war machine," the senators wrote, referring to the expected impact of lifting restrictions on Russian diesel exports.

The letter was signed by six Republican senators and six Democratic senators, according to the report from 20minutes.fr. Three Republican signatories, John Cornyn, Mitch McConnell and Thom Tillis, are set to retire after the November midterm elections.

"Providing Moscow with the ability to sell Russian diesel freely on global markets harms US security interests and is a betrayal of the Ukrainian people," the senators wrote.

The lawmakers urged Trump to use economic measures against Russia and countries they described as supporting the conflict.

"Apply economic pressure on Russia and the main accomplices of this war, especially China," the senators wrote.

The senators linked their request to ongoing negotiations over ending the conflict.

"To bring a swift end to this devastating conflict," the senators wrote, describing the goal they said should guide US policy.

The agreement announcement had also drawn criticism from some Republicans in Congress, while the foreign ministers of Britain and Germany called for additional sanctions against Russia because of the war in Ukraine, according to 20minutes.fr.