Washington (Monitoring Desk): Six senators from the Republican and Democratic parties have urged President Donald Trump’s administration to immediately withdraw its plan to purchase diesel from Russia.
The senators argue that buying fuel from Moscow while Russia’s war against Ukraine continues could provide financial benefits to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to the Associated Press, the senators said in a joint statement issued on Sunday that the administration had neither consulted Congress about the plan nor provided the necessary explanation justifying the decision. They stressed that US laws restricting energy imports from Russia must also be taken into account.
On Friday, President Donald Trump announced on social media that an agreement to supply diesel had been reached during a telephone conversation with Russian President Putin.
According to Trump, Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to US and global markets, followed by another 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tonnes thereafter. His statement also indicated that a further 3 million tonnes of diesel would be supplied over a short period at a later stage.
The joint statement was signed by four Republican senators: Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis, and John Curtis. Democratic senators Jeanne Shaheen and Richard Blumenthal also support the demand.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis, speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, said that if the administration proceeded with the plan to purchase diesel from Russia, questions could arise over whether the president was complying with the law.
He said Russia was committing aggression in Ukraine and should withdraw from the territories it had occupied to bring the war to an end.
The dispute comes shortly after the US Congress introduced legislation imposing heavy tariffs on major importers of Russian oil and natural gas. The measure was intended to restrict revenue from Russia’s energy sales, which Moscow could use to finance its war against Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Republican Senator John Barrasso said President Trump was trying to lower energy prices in the United States and had to make difficult decisions. However, he also supported enforcement of the law imposing restrictions on Russia, saying sanctions could be an effective means of putting pressure on Putin.
In recent days, Trump has blamed Ukraine for high diesel prices in the United States. The report also notes that the ongoing US-led war against Iran has contributed to rising global energy prices.