Blumenthal tells a tanker owner that only Congress can make Russian diesel imports legal
Richard BlumenthalU.S. senator from Connecticut, writing to the managing director of Eastern Mediterranean Maritime
In an October 27 letter to the owner of the Agioi Fanendes, Sen. Richard Blumenthal says a presidential license cannot make a Russian diesel delivery legal and that only Congress can. He urges the company to recall the tanker.
“The President may have given a license to facilitate this transaction, but only Congress can make it legally valid.”
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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
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About this source
gCaptain quotes Blumenthal's October 27 letter to the owner of the Agioi Fanendes, which argues that General License 135 cannot override the 2022 ban on Russian oil imports.
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About this source
The Kyiv Independent quotes Blumenthal's letter to Eastern Mediterranean Maritime and the social media message that accompanied it.
Before the quotation
The letter acknowledges that the Treasury Department issued General License No. 135 but argues that a license cannot override the 2022 Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act.
After the quotation
In a social media message with the letter, Blumenthal told shipping companies to reverse course while there was still time. The letter asks the shipowner to name the cargo's seller, buyer, charterer, insurer and terminal operator by October 31.
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. Blumenthal argues that the license cannot override the 2022 import ban and asks the shipowner to turn back, which rejects the easing.
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The Dispute Index. "Blumenthal tells a tanker owner that only Congress can make Russian diesel imports legal". First published: 2026-11-01. Last updated: 2026-11-01. https://disputeindex.com/events/7642-in-an-october-27-letter-to-the-owner