US President Donald Trump has drawn criticism from several American lawmakers following his reported decision to waive sanctions targeting Russian energy sales.
Democratic politicians accused the President of weakening economic pressure on Moscow and undermining Ukraine during its continuing conflict with Russia.
The controversy comes amid a proposed diesel supply arrangement with Russia, as rising fuel prices become a concern in the United States ahead of November's midterm elections.
The sanctions provisions reportedly waived under the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act would have imposed tariffs of up to 100% on goods imported from the five largest buyers of Russian crude oil or gas, including India and China.
Democrats Accuse Trump Of Weakening Sanctions Against Russia
Representative Don Beyer criticised the reported waiver, describing it as a surrender to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a post on X, Beyer alleged that Trump's decision undermined Ukraine and disregarded congressional efforts to penalise Russia over the war.
He also accused the administration of misusing its authority and called for changes to the legislation.
California Governor Gavin Newsom's office questioned Trump's motivations in a social media post, making an unsubstantiated suggestion about possible financial influence from Putin.
Senator Richard Blumenthal also condemned the decision, arguing that it went against the interests of American voters, Congress and European allies.
He questioned the national security justification for the waivers and urged Republican lawmakers to oppose the move.
Diesel Deal Sparks Concerns Over Ukraine War
Representative Don Bacon warned that easing pressure on Moscow could prolong the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, a prominent Putin critic, also criticised Trump.
According to ANI, Kasparov argued that measures providing financial relief to Russia could strengthen Moscow's ability to continue military operations.
He further questioned whether the United States would gain anything meaningful from the proposed arrangement.
The criticism follows reports of a Russian diesel deal intended to address elevated American fuel prices.
Opponents argue that relaxing energy-related restrictions risks weakening sanctions intended to pressure Russia.
However, the supplied report does not include a response from the Trump administration to these allegations.
The dispute highlights divisions over US policy towards Russia, energy security and continued support for Ukraine.
