On Monday, Trump publicly backed his decision from the prior week to loosen curbs on Russian diesel, using Truth Social to argue the move was justified and to criticize the press. He wrote, "The European Union paid Russia 250 Billion Dollars for Energy, and the Fake News Media doesn't want to get near that story," and added, "I made the right choice for the American People - ALWAYS, AMERICA FIRST!" While he did not spell out the timeframe for the EU figure, that number is in the ballpark of estimates for what the bloc has spent on Russian fossil fuels since the 2022 invasion, even as the European Commission pursues a plan to phase out reliance on Russian energy.
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Criticism came from both parties. Seven senators - four of them Republicans - said, "The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians." Other Republicans urged Trump to keep the U.S. energy import ban in place unless Russian President Vladimir Putin brings the war against Ukraine to an end.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, added, "While I understand the desire to bring down diesel prices, I am concerned the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil will only fund the Kremlin's war machine - emboldening more violence and destruction, as we have seen in recent days." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that easing U.S. sanctions "plays into Russia's hands."
The decision allows Russia to send some diesel into U.S. and international markets over the next six months. Trump says he worked with Putin on the plan, which he argues will help reduce very high diesel prices. Analysts cited in coverage say the impact on prices is likely to be limited. Politically, the move lands as Trump's party faces a potentially tough midterm environment alongside broad dissatisfaction with the economy, which raises the stakes on visible costs like fuel.
For everyday budgets, the takeaway is simple: watch pump prices and freight surcharges tied to diesel, along with any new pushback from Congress that could change the timeline or scope of the easing.
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