Several Republicans criticized the Trump administration’s Russian diesel arrangement and President Trump’s suggestion that Ukraine needs new leadership, with Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) saying Friday he backed the president’s effort to lower costs but not importing from Putin, calling Vladimir Putin a butcher of his own people and of Ukrainians, while former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) appeared alongside Kennedy while campaigning for Michigan’s open Senate seat.
The arrangement would let Russia supply 300,000 tons of diesel to the United States and the global marketplace amid pressure over mounting energy costs tied to global fuel shortages during U.S. military operations against Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war. Rogers said he did not support importing from Russia and had called for a temporary export ban to give relief while farmers are harvesting, while Kennedy said an end to the war in Iran would bring diesel prices down.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) said Saturday he unveiled the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act that he says would block lifting sanctions, with Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) already signed as a co-sponsor. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he was concerned lifting sanctions on Russian oil will only fund the Kremlin’s war machine, and noted Congress had passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act giving the president authorities and leverage against China and Russia.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said on social platform X the president should be using those authorities instead of allowing Russia to export diesel and collect revenues to continue its war in Ukraine, adding Russia’s return to global energy markets can be discussed once the war is over. Fitzpatrick wrote that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has overwhelming support from Congress, the American people and Ukrainians. In September, President Trump signed the act calling for tariffs of up to 100 percent on the top five purchasers of Russian energy or on countries helping evade sanctions.