US Republicans Join Democrats in Warning Trump’s Russia Diesel Deal Will Hurt, Not Help

US lawmakers from both parties are warning that President Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Russian diesel will strengthen Vladimir Putin’s war economy rather than deliver meaningful relief to American consumers. Republican Reps. Don Bacon and Michael McCaul joined Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal in criticizing the agreement announced Friday, Oct. 9, raising concerns that Washington is rewarding Moscow while Ukraine continues to face Russian missile and drone attacks.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Former US Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer told Kyiv Post that the decision would undermine Washington’s own peace efforts while doing little to lower diesel prices. Republicans break with Trump Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska sharply criticized the agreement in comments to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). “It surely looks bad. The president has always had a moral blindness when it comes to Putin. Propping up Russia’s war economy is terrible,” Bacon said. Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, a former chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also warned that the decision would undermine efforts to end Russia’s invasion. In a statement on X, McCaul acknowledged the administration’s efforts to lower fuel prices but questioned the consequences of easing economic pressure on Moscow. He warned that lifting Russian oil sanctions could finance the Kremlin’s military operations and encourage further attacks, even as Congress had recently given Trump additional sanctions powers to pressure Russia and its trading partners. Other Topics of Interest Trump Names Truth Social Adviser Katie Zacharia as New White House Press Secretary A former Homeland Security spokesperson and Trump campaign aide replaces Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down in August. Democrats warn Congress is watching Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, a co-author of the bipartisan Russia sanctions legislation, condemned the agreement as a reversal of congressional efforts to deprive Moscow of war revenue. “This poorly concealed attempt to mitigate the havoc caused by Trump’s illegal war in Iran will only benefit the Chinese & Russian economies and lead to the slaughter of more innocents in Ukraine,” Blumenthal wrote on social media. He described the decision as “a stain on our nation’s character,” arguing that it contradicted Congress’s intentions in passing the recent sanctions legislation. Blumenthal also issued a warning to American companies considering purchasing Russian fuel. “Congress is watching,” he wrote. The criticism comes just three weeks after Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on Sept. 18, legislation intended to strengthen economic pressure on Moscow and countries supporting its energy exports. The new arrangement has raised questions about whether the administration intends to use the sanctions powers Congress provided. Former US ambassador tells Kyiv Post deal will hurt peace efforts In an exclusive interview with Kyiv Post on Friday, former US Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer called Trump’s decision “very unwise,” warning that American purchases of Russian diesel would provide Moscow with additional funds for weapons used against Ukraine. Pifer, who served as ambassador from 1998 to 2000, said the agreement directly contradicted Washington’s stated goal of pressuring Russia into serious peace negotiations. “[It] completely undercuts Trump’s own effort to mediate a solution to the Russia-Ukraine war,” Pifer said. The former ambassador also challenged Trump’s economic argument, pointing out that the initial 300,000 tons of Russian diesel represented less than half a day’s US consumption. “That’s not going to have that big an impact on the price of diesel,” he said. Pifer questioned how Republicans who supported tougher sanctions on countries buying Russian energy would respond now that the United States itself was preparing to purchase Russian fuel. Former US officials question timing and sanctions policy Former US diplomat and sanctions expert Daniel Fried also criticized the timing of the waiver, issued as American, Ukrainian and European officials were holding peace talks in Miami. In a social media post, Fried warned that proceeds from Russian diesel sales could support the Kremlin’s war, calling the decision an unfavorable beginning to the latest diplomatic efforts. Kerri Bitsoff, a former senior Treasury Department official who worked at the Office of Foreign Assets Control, told RFE/RL that Trump’s decision suggested his administration was prioritizing the economic consequences of the Iran conflict over maintaining pressure on Russia. She questioned whether the White House would fully exercise the sanctions authorities recently granted by Congress. Ukraine challenges Trump’s diesel price argument Ukraine’s sanctions commissioner, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, challenged Trump’s suggestion that Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries were a major factor behind rising global diesel prices. “If limiting diesel sanctions on Russia provides market relief then it’s clear the primary impact to the global diesel market was the Iran conflict and blockade, not Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, which would have had a secondary impact,” Vlasiuk told RFE/RL. “It lines up with price timelines,” he added. Trump announced Friday that Russia would immediately supply 300,000 tons of diesel to US and global markets, followed by 500,000 tons in November, another 1 million tons afterward and potentially 3 million additional tons. The US Treasury Department issued a temporary authorization for certain transactions involving Russian-origin diesel through April 7, 2027. Trump defended the agreement as a measure to reduce soaring fuel costs, which have placed additional pressure on American farmers, truck drivers and consumers amid the ongoing war involving Iran. Diesel futures fell following Trump’s announcement, but broader supply constraints remain. President Volodymyr Zelensky also condemned the decision, warning that Russian energy revenues would be used to sustain the war. Zelensky questioned the sincerity of the diplomatic process, saying Ukraine’s negotiating team in Florida was being used as a “smokescreen” while Trump negotiated the fuel agreement with Putin. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.