12 senators press Trump to scrap Russia diesel deal
Why it matters: Lawmakers said the plan would add little price relief while giving the Kremlin revenue as the war in Ukraine drags on.
A bipartisan group of 12 senators urged President Donald Trump on Tuesday to cancel his deal letting Russia export diesel to world markets through mid-April. The lawmakers, including six Republicans and six Democrats, wrote that the arrangement would do little to lower fuel costs but would hand Vladimir Putin fresh revenue during Russia's war in Ukraine. CNBC reported the deal covers 4.8 million metric tons, or nearly 36 million barrels, of diesel. Trump has argued the move could ease high global diesel prices, but lawmakers and oil analysts questioned whether the volumes are large enough to matter. The backlash adds to growing resistance in Congress, including from Republicans, over a deal critics say undercuts recent sanctions legislation.