Republicans defy Trump over deal with Putin
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump's decision to reach a deal with Vladimir Putin on Russian diesel fuel supplies has sparked a wave of criticism from several Republicans in both chambers of Congress, according to The Hill.
Senator John Kennedy called Putin a "butcher" who kills both his own citizens and Ukrainians. He also stressed that Putin would never become a friend of the United States.
At the same time, the senator acknowledged that Trump is using every available means to lower diesel prices. However, he believes ending the war in Iran would be the real step toward lower fuel prices.
Former House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul also expressed concern about a possible easing of sanctions on Russian fuel. He believes such a move would only increase the Kremlin's financial resources for waging war and contribute to further violence and destruction.
Amid the latest developments, Senator Lisa Murkowski urged Trump to use the powers at his disposal rather than allow Russia to export diesel fuel, profit from those sales, and continue its war against Ukraine.
She noted that the United States could consider Russia's return to global energy markets after the war ends. For now, she said, all sources of funding for Russia's war machine must be cut off.
Notably, on October 11, Trump once again announced an "energy ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia and urged both sides not to violate it.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy immediately said Kyiv and Moscow had not reached such an agreement.
