Trump defends Russian diesel import deal as bipartisan Senate group urges reversal

The president argues the agreement will ease pump prices, but 12 senators say it breaches a 2022 sanctions law and aids Russia’s war effort.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 13 Oct 2026 22:06:25 GMT

President Donald Trump defended a deal to import Russian diesel on Monday, saying it will lower fuel prices, as a bipartisan group of 12 U.S. senators urged him to reverse the arrangement.

What happened

On Friday, Trump announced that Russia would supply the United States with more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately, with additional shipments of 500,000 tonnes scheduled for November and a further million tonnes later, according to his statements reported by Reuters and the Standard. The administration temporarily lifted sanctions that had barred Russian energy imports until Moscow ends its aggression in Ukraine.

What the reports add

Reuters noted that analysts questioned whether the volume – roughly 12 hours of global diesel consumption – would meaningfully reduce prices. The Standard added that the deal has sparked criticism in the United Kingdom, where officials say it undermines support for Ukraine. Both outlets reported that a joint letter from six Republican and six Democratic senators described the waiver as “a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our allies.”

What was said

Reuters quoted the senators’ letter: “We should be tightening sanctions further, not undercutting them by allowing the import of Russian diesel and risking erasing our leverage, damaging our credibility with allies, and emboldening our adversaries.” The Standard reported the senators’ claim that the waiver “only provides Putin with more fuel to finance his war machine and enables Russia to continue its brutal attacks on Ukrainian civilians.” Trump, speaking to reporters, said the deal would help American farmers and ranchers and bring down soaring pump prices ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

How it came about

Earlier coverage by Felo News detailed Trump’s push to replace Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (trump-urges-ukraine-leader-change) and his claim that the United States would import 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel (trump-russian-diesel-deal-2). Those articles noted the Kremlin’s pledge during a 90‑minute call with Putin and the UK’s decision to keep its toughest sanctions in place (uk-sanctions-russia-diesel-deal). The current bipartisan opposition reflects the same legal concerns raised in those earlier reports.

Key facts

Trump announced a deal for the U.S. to import over 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel immediately, with further shipments planned. (news.yahoo.com)
A bipartisan group of six Republican and six Democratic senators sent a letter urging Trump to reverse the diesel waiver. (standard.co.uk)
Analysts said the volume equals about 12 hours of global diesel consumption, casting doubt on its price‑impact potential. (news.yahoo.com)