A group of U.S. lawmakers is seeking to halt the Trump administration's agreement to purchase and import Russian diesel fuel, arguing that the arrangement would benefit Moscow financially while offering little relief to American consumers.
The effort is being led by Representative Gregory Meeks, a Democratic member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who has introduced new legislation aimed at preventing the deal from moving forward.
According to a statement released by Democrats on the committee, the proposed legislation has attracted support from lawmakers across party lines. Supporters argue that allowing Russian diesel back into U.S.-linked markets would undermine efforts to pressure Moscow economically and could generate significant revenue for Russia.
Lawmakers backing the measure contend that the agreement would do little to reduce living costs for Americans while conflicting with broader U.S. policy objectives toward Russia.
The legislation, known as the Prohibition of Corrupt Russian Oil Deals Act, seeks to block government mechanisms that could facilitate investment or trade involving Russia's energy sector.
One key provision would prevent the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) from making investments connected to Russian energy projects.
The bill would also seek to overturn licensing measures issued by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) that could be used to authorise transactions related to Russian energy imports. Under the proposal, existing permissions would be invalidated and new licenses would be prohibited.
Supporters of the legislation argue that these steps are necessary to ensure consistency between U.S. sanctions policy and energy-related decisions.
The proposal highlights growing political divisions in Washington over the Trump administration's approach to Russia.
Critics of the diesel agreement argue that relaxing restrictions on Russian energy exports risks weakening the impact of international sanctions imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Democratic lawmakers have called on members of both parties to support the legislation, framing the issue as one of national security and economic policy rather than partisan politics.
The bill's future remains unclear, as it would require approval from both chambers of Congress before becoming law.
If enacted, the legislation would significantly limit the administration's ability to facilitate imports of Russian diesel and could complicate any broader efforts to expand energy-related cooperation with Moscow.
The debate comes amid ongoing scrutiny of U.S. policy toward Russia and continuing discussions over sanctions, energy security and support for Ukraine.
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