Trump faces backlash over plan to import Russian diesel
File photo: REUTERS
US President Donald Trump faces mounting opposition over his strategy to import diesel from Russia as the ongoing war in Iran continues to escalate global energy costs.
He announced on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to immediately release 3,00,000 metric tons of diesel into the American and global marketplace, with additional shipments scheduled to follow.
This decision comes only weeks after Trump enacted legislation establishing new US sanctions and tariffs targeting nations that import Russian oil and gas.
Several Republican and Democratic lawmakers condemned the transaction, asserting that the arrangement directly breaches US law. Beyond the initial release of 3,00,000 metric tons of diesel, Trump disclosed that Russia will supply 5,00,000 metric tons in November and another 1 million metric tons subsequently.
Russia would then deliver an additional 3 million metric tons “within a short period,” depending on the functional state of Russian refineries, which Ukrainian attacks have damaged during the active conflict between the two countries.
Outlining his motivation on Truth Social, Trump posted, “Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority.” Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak corroborated these figures to Russia’s state-owned news agency Tass, stating that future export volumes could reach 3 million metric tons monthly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced the transaction as a gift to Putin that serves as “an investment in a war that must be ended”. Under the agreement, the US Treasury is temporarily suspending sanctions on Russian diesel exports until 7 April, although other Russian assets, including funds in American banks, remain frozen.
On Sunday, a bipartisan group of seven senators - including four Republicans and three Democrats - demanded that Trump “reverse course,” arguing that the deal violates US law. The senators declared in a joint statement, “The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians.”
The lawmakers noted that Congress had “explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent American dollars from financing Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine.” Republican Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Thom Tillis, and John Curtis, alongside Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Blumenthal, and Ron Wyden, signed the joint statement.
However, support for the move exists within Congress; Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who frequently disagrees with Trump on various matters, advocated lifting US sanctions on all petroleum products. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the plan on Fox News, maintaining that the administration is utilizing existing legal frameworks to drive down costs and rejecting claims from critical members of Congress as incorrect.
Global fuel prices surged after the US-Israel war with Iran broke out in late February, as military operations severely disrupted crude oil supplies - the primary component used in producing petrol and diesel.
Surging energy prices have created a severe political liability for Trump ahead of next month’s midterm elections, which will determine whether the Republican Party preserves its majority in Congress.
Voter surveys reveal that a majority of Americans disapprove of Trump’s management of the economy and the Iran war, driving the administration to find swift measures to mitigate political backlash. US agricultural states bear a heavy economic burden from the conflict, as farmers rely heavily on diesel to operate machinery and haul agricultural yields to market.
According to figures from the AAA, average diesel prices in the United States currently stand at $ 6.28 (£ 4.74) per gallon, reflecting a slight decrease from the record high of $6.53 recorded in late September.
Energy market analysts question whether Russia possesses the operational capacity to deliver the promised volumes and express doubt regarding how much the imports will lower prices for American consumers. Because daily US diesel consumption averages roughly 3.6 million barrels, Russia’s initial 3,00,000-ton shipment covers only about half of what the United States consumes in a single day.
Opposition to Trump’s energy agreement with Russia extends beyond domestic politics to international leaders. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting both criticized the plan, arguing that the United States and other allies of Ukraine should focus on increasing economic pressure on Russia to conclude the war.
Meanwhile, Trump announced on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had reached an “energy ceasefire,” though he omitted further specifics. While Zelensky welcomed the statement, Moscow has offered no official confirmation.
Source: BBC (adapted)
