On 16 October, Gregory Meeks, the ranking member of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at blocking President Donald Trump’s deal with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on the purchase and import of Russian diesel fuel.
This is stated on the website of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The bill is titled "Prohibit Corrupt Russia Oil Deals Act". The document would bar the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) from investing in Russia’s energy sector, revoke general licences issued by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and prohibit the issuance of such licences in the future.
In addition, the bill requires the Trump administration to impose sanctions on Russia’s energy sector.
Read alsoUS Congress Seeks to Block Trump-Putin Deal on Russian Diesel
Meeks said that an arrangement with Russia would not help reduce Americans’ costs, who, he said, are paying the price for a failed war started by Trump in Iran. At the same time, the congressman stressed, the deal will bring Putin millions of dollars and allow Russia to continue killing Ukrainian civilians.
"At a time when the United States should be increasing pressure on the Kremlin, Donald Trump is cosying up to Putin and striking deals for his own enrichment instead of supporting Ukraine. This runs counter to the very principles the United States stands for. Congress must act. Every member of Congress who claims to be outraged must support this bill", Meeks said.