By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON, Oct 12 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump on Monday defended a diesel oil deal he made with Russia as lawmakers from both parties complained the agreement appears to violate US law barring imports of Russian energy until Moscow ends its aggression against Ukraine.
Trump said he is taking steps to bring down high fuel prices, which are jeopardizing Republican chances in the November 3 midterm elections. Prices have shot up since he launched a war against Iran seven months ago but he blames Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries as a leading factor.
“I made the right choice for the American People — ALWAYS, AMERICA FIRST! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” Trump said in a social media post.
Trump said on Friday that Russia had agreed to supply diesel to global markets, and his administration temporarily lifted US sanctions on Russian fuel designed to deprive Moscow of revenue for its war on Ukraine.
On Sunday a group of Republican and Democratic US senators called on Trump to “reverse course” on the diesel supply deal with Russia. They said his deal may violate a 2022 law designed to support Ukraine in its bid to repel Russian invaders.
“We should be tightening sanctions further, not undercutting them by allowing the import of Russian diesel and risking erasing our leverage, damaging our credibility with allies, and emboldening our adversaries,” said Republican Senator Jerry Moran in a social media post.
Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy bickered over the weekend about the Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries. Trump said Ukraine needs a new president and Zelenskiy promised to hold elections if Russia would agree to a 60-day ceasefire.
Trump on Sunday declared that Russia and Ukraine agreed to halt attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure. Whether such a deal will hold was unclear.
Zelenskiy told Fox News on Monday that Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries were not the leading cause of rising fuel prices.
“Everybody understands that the prices on diesel — it doesn’t depend on our attacks on diesel in Russia. Everybody understands that it depends on the blocking… the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
(Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by David Gregorio)
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