Richard Blumenthal on Russia

Public disputes concerning Russia, including its government, institutions, officials and citizens, and disputes over Russia's relations with other states.

How we classify topics

Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.

Statement history

2 statements on this page. Dates: October 9, 2026 to October 27, 2026

2 matching statements. Dates: October 9, 2026 to October 27, 2026

2 published statements. Dates: October 9, 2026 to October 27, 2026

Condemned

2 published statements. Dates: October 9, 2026 to October 27, 2026

2 statements on this page. Dates: October 9, 2026 to October 27, 2026

Richard Blumenthal

Role at the time: U.S. senator from Connecticut, writing to the managing director of Eastern Mediterranean Maritime

October 27, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

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.”

Open source

gCaptain: Blumenthal demands that a Russian diesel tanker turn aroundFull article, October 28, 2026

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.

Archived copy

Why we used 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.

Read statement Full case: Should the U.S. lift sanctions on Russian diesel to bring down fuel prices?

Richard Blumenthal

Role at the time: U.S. Senator from Connecticut and a sponsor of the Russia sanctions law, in a post on X

October 9, 2026Condemned

Statement summary

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.”

Read the original postSen. Richard Blumenthal's post on lifting sanctions on Russian diesel (X post) · Richard BlumenthalFull post, Oct. 9, 2026, 5:04 p.m. EDT.

Richard Blumenthal's own post on his official account.

Why we used 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.

Read statement Full case: Should the U.S. lift sanctions on Russian diesel to bring down fuel prices?