Trump Defends Russia Diesel Deal Amid Bipartisan Backlash — SkimNews
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- Trump on October 12, 2026 defended a diesel deal with Russia as lawmakers from both parties argued the agreement appears to violate a 2022 U.S. law barring Russian energy imports until Moscow ends its aggression against Ukraine.
- Trump said the deal aims to bring down high fuel prices threatening Republican chances in the November 3 midterms, blaming Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries as a leading cause — prices have shot up since he launched a war against Iran seven months ago.
- On October 9, 2026, Trump announced Russia had agreed to supply diesel to global markets and his administration temporarily lifted U.S. sanctions on Russian fuel designed to deprive Moscow of war revenue.
- A bipartisan group of senators on October 11 called on Trump to "reverse course," with Republican Senator Jerry Moran saying the deal risks "erasing our leverage, damaging our credibility with allies, and emboldening our adversaries."
- Trump on October 11 declared Russia and Ukraine had agreed to halt attacks on each other's energy infrastructure, though whether the arrangement would hold was unclear.
- Zelensky told Fox News on October 12 that Ukraine's refinery strikes were not the main driver of diesel prices, attributing costs instead to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Why it matters: Trump is temporarily lifting sanctions on Russian diesel seven months into his Iran war, betting fuel-price relief helps Republicans in the November 3 midterms. But Moran's 'emboldens adversaries' warning — and Zelensky's claim that the Strait of Hormuz, not Ukrainian strikes, drives diesel prices — undercuts Trump's political case.
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