Russian diesel tankers close in on US ports as Trump, Putin deal triggers legal showdown
Three Russian diesel tankers are crossing the Atlantic toward U.S. ports, with a fourth set to depart soon, as President Donald Trump's fuel deal with Moscow draws opposition in Congress.
Three tankers carrying Russian diesel are currently crossing the Atlantic toward U.S. ports, with a fourth vessel expected to depart Russia on Oct. 28, according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.
The shipments, totaling around 140,000 metric tons, are the first authorized cargoes under an Oct. 9 agreement between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which temporarily permits the importation of Russian diesel.
The administration has followed a specific process to ease diesel prices amid supply disruptions linked to the war with Iran and Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries.
Legal authority questioned
The deal has triggered a fierce legal showdown on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers argue the administration lacks the authority to bypass the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act of 2022 without congressional approval.
The concern that the president has violated a law from 2022 that prohibits the importation is actually not founded in law, so the president certainly has the authority in this case to provide the authorization.
Jeremy Paner, a partner at Hughes Hubbard & Reed, drew a distinction between removing sanctions and authorizing specific transactions, explaining that Trump's action did not lift the underlying prohibition on the importation of Russian diesel.
Paner noted that a license does not get rid of a prohibition but simply allows the transaction, and from a U.S. legal perspective, the authorization would cover anything that would touch upon Russian sanctions.
Sanctions and opposition
The incoming tankers have drawn scrutiny because at least two are subject to Western sanctions, with the 20-year-old Talisman sanctioned by the U.S., United Kingdom, and EU, and the Sierra Leone-flagged Leruo sanctioned by the EU, UK, and Canada in 2025.
The first tanker, the Malta-flagged Agioi Fanendes, is carrying about 40,000 metric tons of diesel and signaling New York as its destination, with an estimated arrival date of Nov. 7.
A second vessel, the Talisman, is expected to reach the East Coast on Nov. 9, while the third, the Leruo, is signaling an East Coast arrival around Nov. 11.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., has escalated opposition by demanding that two shipping companies recall tankers carrying Russian diesel bound for U.S. ports.
Next steps and consequences
In letters to Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Limited and PetroVietnam, Blumenthal argued that the Treasury Department's General License No. 135 cannot override the 2022 import ban and warned that the deliveries would violate federal law.
He also demanded details about the companies involved in the shipments and any federal guidance they received by Oct. 31.
In an Oct. letter to commercial banks, fuel distributors, and port authorities in New York, New Jersey, and along the Texas Gulf Coast, lawmakers warned that companies involved in the diesel shipments could face investigations.
They also demanded that companies preserve transaction records, port reservations, and communications, giving recipients until Oct. 28 to confirm they had taken steps to retain the documents.
Novak criticized lawmakers opposing the arrangement, accusing them of acting against the interests of American consumers.
Paner concluded that Congress is likely to investigate the U.S. involvement, which would then allow for an understanding of the non-U.S. companies involved in the shipments.
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