Despite opposition from both parties, Trump says easing sanctions on Russian diesel was the right move

【Financial News, New York = Correspondent Lee Byung-chul】President Donald Trump has come out strongly in defense of his decision to temporarily ease sanctions on Russian diesel. While he says the move was necessary to rein in soaring diesel prices, opposition is mounting even within the Republican Party over concerns that it could result in funding Russia’s war in Ukraine. With the midterm elections about three weeks away, the two policy goals of stabilizing prices and maintaining sanctions on Russia appear to be in conflict.
On the 12th (local time), President Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, “I made the right choice for the American people,” adding, “AMERICA FIRST, always.”
He directly pushed back after both Democrats and Republicans criticized the easing of sanctions on Russian diesel, announced last week.
President Trump criticized what he called the media’s double standard, pointing in particular to the European Union’s (EU) purchases of Russian energy. He claimed, “The EU paid Russia $250 billion for energy, but the fake news media won’t even try to cover this story.”
President Trump did not provide specific calculations to support the figure. CNBC noted, however, that the amount broadly aligns with some estimates of how much the EU has spent on imports of Russian fossil fuels since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The European Commission is pursuing a policy of gradually ending the EU’s dependence on Russian energy.
The Trump administration decided to ease restrictions for the next six months, allowing Russia to supply some diesel to the United States and international markets. President Trump maintains that the measure, coordinated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, will help bring down soaring diesel prices.
The decision, however, drew fierce opposition not only from Democrats but also from within the Republican Party, amid concerns that easing sanctions on Russian energy could send additional funds to Russia as it continues its war in Ukraine.
Seven senators, including four Republicans, issued a joint statement on the 11th, criticizing the move: “With Russia continuing to kill Ukrainian civilians, the United States must not provide Putin with a financial lifeline.” They believe the ban on Russian energy imports should remain in place until President Putin ends the war in Ukraine.
 

[email protected] Correspondent Lee Byung-chul Reporter