Twelve bipartisan US senators have called on President Donald Trump to abandon an agreement with Putin and revoke the Treasury Department’s General License No. 135, which lawmakers claim eases restrictions on Russian diesel exports. The senators argue that such a move would boost the Kremlin's revenue, weaken economic pressure on Russia, and provide it with additional resources to continue the war against Ukraine.
This was stated in a letter from a group of US senators to President Donald Trump dated October 13, 2026. The appeal was led by Senator Richard Blumenthal.
The letter was signed by Richard Blumenthal, Thom Tillis, Jeanne Shaheen, Susan Collins, Richard Durbin, Alan Stewart Armstrong, Sheldon Whitehouse, Lisa Murkowski, Jack Reed, Christopher Coons, Mitch McConnell, and John Cornyn. Copies of the appeal were also sent to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
At the beginning of the letter, the lawmakers emphasized their support for ending the Russo-Ukrainian war through negotiations; however, they maintained that any future peace agreement must uphold the principles of Ukraine's sovereignty and security and preserve the right of Ukrainians to determine their state's future independently.
The lawmakers' primary objection concerns the agreement Trump reached with Putin on October 9 and the associated U.S. Treasury Department General License No. 135. The license allows Russian diesel fuel to return to global markets, effectively creating an additional revenue stream for Moscow.
"Treasury General License No. 135, which lifts sanctions on Russian diesel exports, merely provides Putin with additional resources to fund his war machine and enables Russia to continue its brutal attacks on Ukrainian civilians," the senators stated.
The authors of the appeal described the decision as contrary to U.S. national security interests and urged the president to revoke it.
"This deal is a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our allies; it should be rescinded," the letter reads.
The senators acknowledged the need to lower energy costs for American families. However, they questioned whether allowing a larger volume of Russian diesel onto the international market would have a tangible positive impact on U.S. consumers. In their view, the potential effect on prices would be negligible compared to the financial gain the Russian government would reap.
The senators also linked the additional energy revenue for Russia to the deepening of Moscow's cooperation with China, Iran, and North Korea. In the letter, they argue that this could also have consequences for U.S. service members deployed overseas.Separately, the authors cited the Lindsey O. Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act of 2026, noting that Congress passed the measure with an overwhelming bipartisan majority in September before the President signed it into law.
Separately, the authors cited the Lindsey O. Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act of 2026, noting that Congress passed the measure with an overwhelming bipartisan majority in September before the President signed it into law.
"These authorities require you to apply economic pressure on Russia and the primary enablers of its war—most notably China—thereby strengthening your negotiating position to bring a swift end to this devastating conflict," the senators stated.
In the letter, they contrasted this strategy with the easing of restrictions on Russian energy exports.
"For decades, America has stood as a bastion of freedom against tyranny, and American presidents have embodied our nation’s resistance to tyrants. Putin is a tyrant," the letter reads.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, who spearheaded the appeal, sharply criticized the decision regarding Russian diesel fuel. He argued that economic concessions to Moscow do not bring peace negotiations any closer.
"I am leading my colleagues in calling on the President to reverse the disastrous deal regarding Russian diesel fuel. A policy of appeasement only encourages Putin to shun serious peace negotiations, and the failure of the diesel deal demonstrates outright weakness," Blumenthal stated.
The senator also linked the issue of sanctions to Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. According to him, adherence to agreements on halting such strikes must serve as one of the criteria for assessing Moscow’s readiness for genuine negotiations.
"The first test for peace talks must be whether Putin honors a truce regarding energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy agreed. Putin continues the bombardment. He is once again making a fool of Trump and hopes to turn a freezing, starving, and bloody winter into a weapon against Ukraine," Blumenthal stated.
In the concluding part of the letter, the bipartisan group of senators outlined three demands for the President: to abandon the agreement regarding Russian diesel fuel, to revoke General License No. 135, and to exercise the sanctions authority granted by Congress to increase economic pressure on Russia.
Photo: uainfo.org
Author: Inna Mikhno