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A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has warned American banks, port authorities and fuel distributors that importing Russian diesel could invite legal action and congressional investigations. In letters to the heads of major financial institutions, ports and fuel distributors, the lawmakers said companies facilitating imports in violation of US law could face criminal and civil liability. The letters came amid reports that shipments of Russian diesel were headed to American shores after President Donald Trump earlier this month granted a waiver allowing Moscow to supply diesel to global markets, including the US. The lawmakers cited Section 2 of the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act of 2022, which generally prohibits the importation of Russian-origin energy products, including diesel fuel. Such imports are allowed only after the President certifies to Congress that Russia has ceased all military hostilities in Ukraine and that it poses no immediate threat to NATO members. The .
Facing intense criticism, US President Donald Trump said he had taken a "good decision" to exempt Russia from sweeping sanctions under a new law and asserted that many did not know what it actually meant. "A lot of you don't know what my decision is yet, but we'll figure it out, and you'll figure it out," Trump told reporters at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Miami on Saturday evening. "It's a very good decision, and it's going to be a decision that's good for the country, and I think good for the world because we're really at a world stage," Trump said. On Friday, Trump signed an executive order exempting Russia from a new sanctions measure Graham Act that the US Congress passed last month. The executive order also granted a waiver from 100 per cent tariffs on the top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas, including China and India. The order states that the waivers shall remain in effect until such time as the President or the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary
Facing criticism over the diesel deal with Russia, US President Donald Trump said the fuel from Moscow's refineries was meant to stabilise the global market, which has been hit by high prices. On October 9, Trump announced that Russia would supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by an additional 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons "immediately thereafter." To facilitate the shipments, the US Treasury Department issued a temporary licence easing sanctions on Russian diesel shipments to global markets until April 7, 2027. The move came ahead of November congressional midterms in the US, as diesel prices surged amid supply disruptions caused by the Iran war. "That's a diesel deal. Not for us. That's being released into the world. That's not being released to us," Trump told reporters here on Tuesday, amid a growing chorus against the surprise deal he announced last week after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Republicans and Democrats hit out at the deal
Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick has declared that he would bring a bipartisan Bill to block President Donald Trump's move to lift sanctions on Russian diesel after talks with President Vladimir Putin. Fitzpatrick's move has received support from outgoing Congressman Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, who has decided to co-sponsor the legislation. However, the move appears to be largely symbolic as the US House of Representatives will have a few months to pass as the term of the house expires in January. "We will be introducing bipartisan legislation to block any and all purchases of Russian oil," Fitzpatrick, the co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, said in a post on x. "It will be called the 'Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act'. It will be forced to the Floor via discharge and it will pass overwhelmingly," he said. "I've already agreed to be an original cosponsor. Congress must make a stand," Bacon said in a post on X. Bacon is not seeking re-election
The US on Friday lifted sanctions on the sale of Russian diesel till April 7 next year. The announcement by the US Department of Treasury came minutes after US President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and struck a deal to supply diesel to the American and global markets. "...all transactions prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations that are related to the sale, delivery, offloading, or importation, including importation into the United States, of diesel fuel of Russian Federation origin are authorised through 12:01 am eastern daylight time, April 7, 2027," the Treasury Department said. Earlier, Trump said Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by 500,000 tons in November, and one million tons immediately thereafter. Russia will then deliver another 3 million tons of diesel based on the condition of Russia's refineries, Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Diesel prices have surged arou
Russia's parliamentary election for the first time includes residents of regions that Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine after the start of its full-scale invasion more than 4 1/2 years ago, part of Kremlin efforts to cement its gains. Officials in Kyiv vigorously denounced the action as illegal, and a human rights activist described residents there as being coerced to participate in the election. While the vote across Russia started Friday and lasts until Sunday to help boost turnout, balloting actually has been underway in the annexed parts of Ukraine and some areas on the Russian side of the border since the end of last month. Officials cited security reasons for the extended period. Russian authorities say the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia territories, often referred to by Moscow officials as the "new regions," have over 3.5 million voters. They were annexed by Russia in September 2022, despite not fully being under Moscow's control. The move has not been ...