A bipartisan group of 22 US lawmakers urged President Donald Trump on Thursday, Oct. 15, to fully enforce sweeping sanctions against Russia ahead of an Oct. 18 deadline, warning that continued Russian energy revenues are financing President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine.
In a letter to the White House, Republicans and Democrats called for the full implementation of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, including penalties against Russian officials, financial institutions and foreign companies helping Moscow circumvent Western restrictions.
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The appeal comes amid growing bipartisan opposition to Trump’s decision to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports, which lawmakers fear could provide the Kremlin with additional revenue while Russian forces continue attacking Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
“As Russia prepares to wage a fifth winter campaign against Ukraine, the United States has an opportunity to reinvigorate peace efforts by placing maximum pressure on Vladimir Putin and the governments and networks that finance his war,” the lawmakers wrote.
They argued that sanctions enforcement was essential to compelling Moscow to engage seriously in negotiations.
“Utilizing the tools for economic pressure in this law will be decisive in forcing Putin to take peace talks seriously.”
The letter was led by Democratic Rep. Jim Costa and senior members of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, including Mike Quigley, Marcy Kaptur, Republican Brian Fitzpatrick and Republican Joe Wilson. Republican Michael McCaul, a former House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, also signed the appeal.
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Lawmakers demand sanctions against Russia’s energy network
The lawmakers urged the administration to target not only Russian officials and state enterprises but also the international financial and commercial networks sustaining Moscow’s war economy.
Their demands include mandatory sanctions on Russian oligarchs, banks and state-owned companies, alongside penalties targeting foreign financial institutions and intermediaries facilitating Russian transactions.
They also called for secondary tariffs on major purchasers of Russian oil and gas, measures against vessels operating in Moscow’s shadow fleet, and restrictions on companies helping Russia evade existing sanctions.
The letter emphasizes that foreign governments and financial institutions facilitating Russian energy trade should not be allowed to shield Moscow from the economic consequences of its invasion.
At the same time, lawmakers urged the White House to protect US allies that are actively reducing their dependence on Russian energy, using exemptions and tariff adjustments permitted under the legislation.
The group requested detailed information on which sanctions and tariffs the administration intends to implement by Oct. 18, whether any provisions will be delayed or waived, and how their effectiveness will be measured.
Trump’s Russian diesel deal draws fresh criticism
The letter specifically challenges the Treasury Department’s Oct. 9 decision to issue General License 135, authorizing certain transactions involving Russian-origin diesel.
Lawmakers warned that relaxing energy restrictions risks restoring revenues to the Kremlin at a time when Washington should be increasing economic pressure on Moscow.
They asked Trump to reverse the authorization and explain how the license complies with existing US restrictions on Russian energy imports.
The controversy follows a separate bipartisan appeal from 12 US senators earlier this week, who criticized the diesel agreement as financially beneficial to Moscow and unlikely to deliver meaningful relief to American consumers.
The senators argued that the volume of Russian diesel expected to enter global markets would have little effect on prices, which have risen sharply amid disruptions linked to the war with Iran.
Trump has defended the agreement as a measure to lower fuel costs, while also blaming Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries for rising energy prices.
Congress demands answers by Oct. 18
The lawmakers outlined five questions requiring clarification ahead of the sanctions law’s first implementation deadline, including which Russian officials, banks and companies would face restrictions and which countries would be subject to secondary tariffs.
They also demanded measurable benchmarks showing whether the measures are reducing Russian energy revenues and discouraging third countries from purchasing Moscow’s oil and gas.
Any presidential waiver, they argued, should be narrowly defined, temporary and linked to verifiable reductions in support for Russia’s war.
The letter further requested congressional briefings and regular updates on enforcement, including reviews of sanctions effectiveness every 180 days.
“Putin has repeatedly shown that he responds to pressure, not goodwill,” the lawmakers wrote.
They concluded that fully enforcing the legislation would demonstrate bipartisan American resolve and increase the economic costs of continuing Russia’s invasion until Moscow agrees to meaningful peace negotiations.
“We remain committed to Ukraine’s defense and to a just and lasting peace,” the letter said.
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