President Donald Trump’s announcement of a major Russian diesel supply deal has drawn criticism from Democrats and political commentators, who argue it could undermine pressure on Moscow over its war against Ukraine.
Trump Announces Millions of Tons In Russian Diesel Supplies
On Friday, Trump said that Russia would supply millions of tons of diesel to U.S. and global markets following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as American fuel prices remain elevated weeks before the midterm elections.
In a Truth Social post, Trump outlined plans for Russia to deliver more than 300,000 tons immediately, another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons afterward.
He said an additional 3 million tons would depend on the condition of Russian diesel refineries.
Trump argued that supplies, along with U.S. control of the Strait of Hormuz, would drive diesel prices down rapidly.
Schumer Calls Trump-Putin Deal ‘Filthy’
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused Trump of putting his political fortunes ahead of national interests.
On X, Schumer described the arrangement as a “deal with the devil,” arguing that it would benefit Putin, whom he accused of helping Iran target American troops in the Middle East and waging an illegal war against Ukraine.
Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) also criticized the announcement, calling it a “desperate and short-sighted move.”
Kim blamed Trump’s war with Iran for contributing to the crisis and urged the president to end the conflict rather than send money to Russia.
Peter Schiff, Garry Kasparov Question Policy Reversal
Economist Peter Schiff questioned the apparent contradiction between the deal and Trump’s recent approach to Russian energy.
Schiff noted that Trump had signed legislation targeting major buyers of Russian oil and gas with tariffs of up to 100% just three weeks earlier, ostensibly to cut funding for Putin’s war.
Russian chess grandmaster and political activist Garry Kasparov argued that additional Russian energy revenue could support Moscow’s military campaign, prolong the war and worsen European and global security.
“Keep in mind, nothing in this Putin-scripted fantasy helps US interests or the American consumer,” he wrote.
Late in the day, WTI crude oil rose 0.19% to $91.66 per barrel, while Brent crude gained 0.25% to $104.54 per barrel. Natural gas futures rose 1.14% to $3.204 per MMBtu.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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