“Runs directly counter” to US law: Bipartisan senators push back on Russian diesel deal

Senators call for Trump administration to ‘immediately reverse course’ on Russian diesel plan

VIA BBC NEWS:

Following earlier comments from Republican Senator Thom Tillis, a bipartisan group of senators has questioned the legality of Donald Trump’s deal to import Russian oil into the US.

The group, consisting of three Democrats and four Republicans, including Tillis, makes reference to a bill passed by Congress in 2022 to ban the import of Russian oil, saying it was done “to prevent American dollars from financing Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine”.

The statement adds: “The US should not import oil from Russia until it ends its aggression against Ukraine and ceases threats against our Nato allies.”

The group says the president’s decision to allow Russian diesel imports into the country “runs directly counter to that law”, adding the administration failed to consult with Congress “or submit any explanation to justify its decision as required by statute”.

“The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians. The Administration must immediately reverse course.”

TRUMP’S DIESEL DEAL IS AN ABOUT-FACE ON SANCTIONS SIGNED LAST MONTH

Trump’s recently-announced deal to import Russian diesel into the US is a sharp reversal from the Russian sanctions bill he signed into law just last month.

Trump said on Friday that Russia had agreed to immediately release 300,000 tonnes of diesel to US and global markets, followed by more down the line.

But the deal he signed in September, named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, targets Russia’s oil and gas revenues that have helped fuel its war in Ukraine.

Specifically, the law allows Trump to impose a 100% tariff on the top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas, with an exception for countries that import less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are working to reduce their dependency.

The bill also includes sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior figures within the Russian government, banks and other financial institutions, as well as Russia’s fleet of tankers that have been used to circumvent existing sanctions.