Trump’s Russia diesel deal draws bipartisan backlash in Congress
What’s new: Italy’s prime minister warned the accord could weaken sanctions and give Moscow fresh revenue for its war in Ukraine.
President Donald Trump’s agreement to bring more than 300,000 metric tons of Russian diesel into U.S. and global markets is facing growing resistance from both parties in Congress and from European allies. A bipartisan group of 12 senators urged Trump to reverse the deal, arguing it would do little to cut fuel prices while handing the Kremlin money to sustain its war against Ukraine. Trump has defended the move as a way to ease pump prices before the midterm elections. In Rome, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called the pact a “very risky choice,” saying it could legitimize Vladimir Putin and blunt the effect of sanctions as Russia keeps striking Ukrainian cities.