US lawmakers file a bill to block Trump's Russian diesel deal

Gregory Meeks, a Democrat on the House foreign affairs committee, introduced the bill on Oct 16 with 16 fellow Democrats and one Republican, Don Bacon.

What the bill would do

• Cancel the Treasury licence on Russian diesel
• Ban similar licences in the future
• Bar US development finance from Russian energy
• Mandate sanctions on Russia's energy sector

The bill would cancel the Treasury licence that lifts US sanctions on Russian diesel until Apr 7, 2027, and ban similar licences in the future.

Meeks said the deal would not lower the costs Americans face from the war in Iran, and would give Putin millions of dollars to keep killing Ukrainian civilians.

Background

Trump announced the deal after an Oct 9 call with Putin, saying Russian companies would ship more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel right away. He says the extra supply will help bring down diesel prices that rose with the war against Iran.