Republicans in Congress revolt against Trump over his Russia policy
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
Republicans in the US Congress are increasingly pushing back against President Donald Trump’s decisions on Russia. Some are threatening to block the administration’s legislative initiatives if the White House continues to ease pressure on Moscow and restrict aid to Ukraine, Politico reports.
According to the outlet, pro-Ukraine Republicans are trying to find ways to persuade Trump to change course on Russia.
The decisions that have sparked discontent include the US president’s move to ease sanctions pressure on Moscow, arrangements to purchase Russian diesel fuel, and possible restrictions on military support for Kyiv.
In particular, the Trump administration announced a six-month easing of sanctions on purchases of Russian diesel fuel. In addition, the US president temporarily refrained from imposing sanctions on Russia as required under a law recently passed by Congress.
These steps have drawn criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans.
Some lawmakers warn that further rapprochement between the administration and Moscow could make it more difficult to advance the White House’s legislative agenda.
In particular, Republican Congressman Don Bacon said the administration’s agenda would be at risk if it continued to act in Russia’s interests rather than Ukraine’s.
Another Republican, Brian Fitzpatrick, stressed that the US must provide Ukraine with all the necessary defense equipment and that sanctions against the Russian regime should be tightened, not eased.
Aid to Ukraine has also become a subject of disputes
Reports of possible restrictions on the operation of the Starlink and Starshield satellite systems, which the Ukrainian military uses, among other things, to counter Russian drones, have raised separate concerns in Congress.
Delays in the delivery of interceptor missiles for Patriot systems to Ukraine have also caused concern among many Republicans.
Some US lawmakers are demanding an investigation into possible restrictions on Ukraine’s access to satellite services. They fear that such decisions will weaken Ukraine’s defenses amid Russian attacks.
Meanwhile, Trump explains his decisions by saying he wants to achieve a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. He says he does not want to take steps that could drive Moscow away from negotiations.
However, discontent with this approach is growing among Republicans. Some insist that concessions to the Kremlin will not help end the war but will only strengthen the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Notably, Trump’s administration said recently that the Russia-US diesel deal was necessary to end the war in Ukraine.
This is not the first time Republicans have expressed outrage over Trump’s actions. This has happened before, including when the president intended to withdraw the US from NATO.
