Senators Urge President Trump to Cancel Russian Diesel Agreement

On October 13, 2026, President Trump spoke to the media while departing the White House. A bipartisan group of senators is urging him to revoke a newly reached diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The senators claim that the agreement is a “betrayal of the people of Ukraine.”

Last week, President Trump announced on social media that he had secured a deal with Putin, under which Russia would supply over 300,000 tons of diesel to the American and global markets. This transaction would be followed by 500,000 tons in November and one million tons shortly after. Trump mentioned, “Russia will then deliver, within a short period of time, 3,000,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel,” referencing the condition of Russian diesel refineries.

The announcement surprised lawmakers. Previously, Congress had passed legislation instructing the president to impose significant tariffs on major Russian oil importers. These sanctions are intended to target Russian officials, companies, and financial institutions that support Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. The legislative package was named in honor of the late GOP Senator Lindsey Graham, who played a key role in negotiating Trump’s support.

In response, six Republican and six Democratic senators wrote a letter to President Trump on Tuesday. They stated, “This deal is a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our allies; it should be rescinded.” According to the senators, the agreement made with Putin on October 9th does not serve American interests. They acknowledged the necessity of reducing energy costs for U.S. citizens but argued that importing Russian diesel into global markets provides “limited to no relief to Americans.” The senators expressed concern that the deal enables Putin to finance his military efforts and allows continued attacks on Ukrainian civilians.

When questioned about the letter, the White House referenced President Trump’s comments from Tuesday. Addressing the use of funds from the diesel arrangement, Trump stated, “Nobody’s telling me anything. That’s a diesel deal. Not for us. That’s being released into the world. That’s not being released to us. That’s a diesel deal that’s going to be released into the world for the world market because the world market suffered with high prices.”

The letter was signed by Democratic senators Richard Blumenthal, Chris Coons, Dick Durbin, Jack Reed, Jeanne Shaheen, and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Republican senators Alan Armstrong, Susan Collins, John Cornyn, Mitch McConnell, Lisa Murkowski, and Thom Tillis.