US Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Block Trump-Putin Diesel Deal
Representative Gregory Meeks introduced legislation to block a diesel import agreement between President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as Russia begins shipping fuel to global markets.
The United States and Russia have entered a diesel import agreement intended to lower global fuel prices before the November U.S. midterm elections. Following an October 9 phone call between the two leaders, the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a temporary general license valid until April 2027. Russia partially lifted its diesel export ban on October 10, and the Kremlin confirmed supplies reached international markets on October 15.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are also exploring broader economic initiatives, including the development of data centers powered by Russian nuclear plants. However, these efforts face technical and legal obstacles. The U.S. Treasury Department requested assistance from the Russian Direct Investment Fund to resolve payment difficulties caused by overlapping sanctions. Kirill Dmitriev, a special envoy for Putin, warned that the Graham Act could block these larger investment ventures.
In response, Representative Gregory Meeks introduced the bipartisan Prohibit Corrupt Russia Oil Deals Act to rescind the diesel agreement. The bill would prohibit the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation from investing in the Russian energy sector and require the Treasury Department to revoke the licenses permitting the purchase of Russian energy resources. The original deal has also drawn criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
