President Donald Trump is facing mounting calls from within his own party to reverse course on his plan to import diesel from Russia in an effort to stabilize global energy markets, with lawmakers arguing it goes against a 2022 law which banned Russian oil imports.
“Congress explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent American dollars from financing Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine. Congress was clear: The U.S. should not import oil from Russia until it ends its aggression against Ukraine and ceases threats against our NATO allies,” read a joint bipartisan statement released Sunday by four Republican Senators and three Democrats.
The lawmakers argued that Trump’s decision to allow Russian diesel imports to the U.S. “runs directly counter to that law” and criticized the lack of congressional overview, insisting that the Administration had failed to consult with Congress or submit any explanation over its decision. “The United States should not provide [Russian President Vladimir] Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians. The Administration must immediately reverse course,” they urged.
The statement was co-signed by GOP Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and John Curtis of Utah, alongside Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Ron Wyden of Oregon, and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.
Trump said Friday he had reached an agreement with Putin for Moscow to "immediately" supply 300,000 tons of diesel to American and global markets. The move comes amid a renewed push by the Administration to lower energy prices for Americans, which have skyrocketed since the Iran war began in February. The increased diesel fuel prices have shaken the loyalties of some of Trump’s most ardent support groups, with farmers telling TIME their day-to-day operations are being severely impacted.
In the wake of the diesel supply deal, Trump on Sunday claimed Russia and Ukraine had “agreed” to an energy cease-fire “effective immediately.” However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said Russian strikes overnight—which reportedly killed several people and wounded dozens—had included attacks on energy facilities.
“So there were Russian violations of the energy cease-fire announced by President Trump,” said Zelensky. “For now, this is Putin’s answer to Trump—Russian attacks. But we are waiting. We are waiting for the details of the conversation between the Americans and the Russians. We are waiting to see what specific steps the Americans are ready to take.” Trump over the weekend responded to Zelensky's initial criticism of the diesel deal by telling reporters "it's time for Ukraine to get a new President."
U.S. lawmakers pushing back against Trump’s Russia diesel plan had sternly warned against putting trust in Putin.
Sen. Tillis, during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, expressed concern that the diesel deal could place American lives at risk. “These are bad people hanging out with bad people, putting American lives at risk—particularly our Special Operators and forward-deployed personnel,” Tillis said, insisting that Putin “cannot be trusted.”
He also doubled down on his argument that the President’s deal may violate the law passed by Congress four years ago, as it outright banned Russian oil imports unless specific criteria were met, including a full Russian withdrawal from Ukraine.
“I do believe there’s a legitimate case for saying the President’s not following the law,” Tillis said. “We were very clear that Russia is the aggressor. Russia is the one who can end this war by backing out of [the] territory they occupied.”
Just three weeks ago, Trump signed a sweeping Russia sanctions bill, intended to target the country's financial institutions and the energy industry, which has largely financed the assault on Ukraine. The bill was named after Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, the late Republican Senator who spent the final year of his life building support for the measure.
Some Republican lawmakers mentioned this legislation as they criticized the diesel plan. “The President should be using those authorities instead of allowing Russia to export diesel, rake in revenues, and continue its catastrophic war in Ukraine,” said Murkowski.
“I oppose President Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on the purchase of diesel from Russia,” said Collins. “I was a co-sponsor of the Russian sanctions law, which the President recently signed, but is now not following.”
TIME has reached out to the White House for comment.
Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania announced Saturday he plans to introduce a bipartisan bill intended to stop Trump from lifting sanctions on Russian oil.
“We will be introducing bipartisan legislation to block any and all purchases of Russian oil. It will be called the ‘Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act,’” said Fitzpatrick.
Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, a Republican who has clashed with Trump on other high-profile issues, said he has already agreed to be a co-sponsor of the bill, insisting that “Congress must make a stand.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has defended the move, insisting the agreement with Russia will work through existing legal channels the U.S. has to help bring prices down.
“We’re doing it with all the legal authorities we have, so anyone in Congress who says that—whether it’s an old bill or the current Lindsey Graham bill—prohibits us from doing it, is wrong,” he told Fox News.
Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming has also defended the diesel deal, telling CBS' Face the Nation that the President “has to make tough decisions.”
U.S. allies warn Trump's diesel deal could bolster Russia's war
Zelensky described Trump's initial announcement as a “gift to Putin” and said easing sanctions on Russia was “an obvious weakness” that “plays into Russia’s hands—allowing it to kill more, wage war for longer, have even less respect for America, and inflict even greater losses and damage on the world.”
The agreement has also drawn criticism from international leaders, particularly in Europe, where governments have played a central role in supporting Ukraine's defense against Russia.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed his “regret” over the U.S. agreement with Russia, warning that “energy revenues are central to the Russian war chest.” Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal similarly said the agreement was a “big miscalculation,” arguing that it “is opposite to the long-term activities of the western world to limit the flow of energy carriers to Putin.” Both Sweden and Estonia were among the top 10 countries providing aid to Ukraine as a share of their GDP between January 2022 and February 2026.
Kaja Kallas, the E.U.'s foreign policy chief, said that “suspending sanctions on Russian diesel provides Moscow with more revenues to wage war.”
On Monday, Kallas announced that European foreign ministers had adopted nearly 1,600 new sanctions targeting Russia's military-industrial complex, underscoring the contrast between Washington's decision and Europe's continued push to economically isolate Moscow.
The U.K. has also opposed Trump's agreement. Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said Sunday that Britain did not support the deal with Putin and would instead look to "strengthen sanctions” against Russia. Prime Minister Andy Burnham acknowledged that “the last 24 hours had been difficult for Ukraine and reiterated his complete solidarity” during a phone call with Zelensky.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also spoke with Zelensky on Sunday, and expressed his view that the “agreement is in direct opposition to the efforts of Ukraine, Canada, and our allies to create peace and stability in Europe.”