Richard Blumenthal says lifting diesel sanctions "makes us complicit" in Putin's war
Richard BlumenthalU.S. Senator from Connecticut and a sponsor of the Russia sanctions law, in a post on X
Sen. Richard Blumenthal said the decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel is an embarrassment and makes the United States complicit in Putin's war against Ukraine.
“The President’s decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel is an embarrassment & makes us complicit in Putin’s war against Ukraine.”
Original post
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should the U.S. lift sanctions on Russian diesel to bring down fuel prices?
On October 9, 2026, President Donald Trump said that after a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia would supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately and up to 4.8 million tons in all to the American and global markets, and that diesel prices would come down. The same day, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License 135, which authorizes the sale, delivery and importation of Russian-origin diesel until April 7, 2027. The U.S. has not imported Russian oil or gas since 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said easing sanctions without a de-escalation agreement plays into Russia's hands, and lawmakers in both parties said the arrangement would fund Russia's war in Ukraine. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick said he would introduce a bill to block all purchases of Russian oil and force a vote by discharge petition. The dispute is over whether the U.S. should ease sanctions on Russian diesel to lower fuel prices.
Source and context
Original post
About this source
Richard Blumenthal's own post on his official account.
Reporting
About this source
Associated Press report on the diesel arrangement. It quotes Trump's remarks as he left the White House, a Kremlin statement from Putin, a Ukrainian Embassy statement from Zelenskyy and lawmakers' reactions, and notes that the U.S. has not imported Russian oil or gas since 2022.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Blumenthal posted the first part of a thread with a link to Politico's report on the lifted sanctions.
After the quotation
The post is marked as the first of a series of posts.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case asks whether the U.S. should ease sanctions on Russian diesel to lower fuel prices, as the administration did on October 9. Blumenthal calls the decision "an embarrassment" that "makes us complicit" in Russia's war against Ukraine. That opposes the easing, so we labeled it Condemned. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional; it loses because the post contains no support for the decision.
- Recorded on
- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseDon Bacon says "Congress must make a stand" as he cosponsors the Russian oil bill
“I’ve already agreed to be an original cosponsor. Congress must make a stand.”Read statement
Brian Fitzpatrick says a bill to block all purchases of Russian oil "will pass overwhelmingly"
“We will be introducing bipartisan legislation to block any and all purchases of Russian oil. It will be called the “Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act.” It will be forced to the Floor via discharge and it will pass overwhelmingly.”Read statement
Mike Pence says America "should not be throwing a lifeline to Putin's war machine"
“America should not be throwing a lifeline to Putin’s war machine. Now is the time to stand strong against Russian aggression as we did during the first Trump administration.”Read statement
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Richard Blumenthal says lifting diesel sanctions "makes us complicit" in Putin's war
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/5501-sen-richard-blumenthal-said-the-decision-to-lift
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Richard Blumenthal says lifting diesel sanctions "makes us complicit" in Putin's war". First published: 2026-10-11. Last updated: 2026-10-11. https://disputeindex.com/events/5501-sen-richard-blumenthal-said-the-decision-to-lift