US President Donald Trump is facing criticism from lawmakers across party lines over plans to import diesel from Russia to ease rising fuel prices amid the war involving Iran.
Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to release 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately, with additional shipments expected in the following months.
The proposed arrangement has drawn objections from seven US senators, including four Republicans, who accused the administration of violating laws prohibiting Russian energy imports.
The lawmakers warned that purchasing Russian fuel could provide Moscow with additional revenue to support its ongoing war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also condemned the proposed agreement, raising concerns over the implications of renewed Russian energy sales for the conflict.
However, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has defended the arrangement, describing it as a lawful measure intended to ease fuel prices.
The dispute highlights the challenge facing the Trump administration as it seeks to contain domestic energy costs while maintaining restrictions on Russian energy exports following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The legal basis of the proposed imports and their potential implications for existing sanctions remain central to the debate.
