By Patricia Zengerle and Valerie Volcovici
WASHINGTON, Oct 13 (Reuters) – A dozen US senators, including six of Donald Trump’s fellow Republicans, called on the president on Tuesday to rescind his diesel oil deal with Russia, saying it provides Moscow with more fuel to finance its war on Ukraine and will not benefit Americans.
The letter added to a torrent of criticism of the diesel pact from Republicans as well as Democrats. It marks a shift from what had been Republicans’ near-unanimous support for Trump’s foreign policy decisions, weeks before November 3 midterm elections that will determine whether the party retains control of Congress.
“Granting Moscow the ability to sell Russian diesel freely in global markets damages American security interests and is a betrayal of the people of Ukraine, who continue to defend themselves from (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s murderous, illegal war,” the lawmakers said in a letter seen by Reuters.
“This deal is a gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our Allies; it should be rescinded,” they said.
The letter, dated Tuesday, was signed by Republicans Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Alan Armstrong of Oklahoma, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and John Cornyn of Texas, as well as six Democrats.
Collins, Murkowski and Tillis had joined Democrats in a joint statement on Sunday calling on Trump to “reverse course” on the deal, saying it runs counter to US law barring imports of energy until Russia ends its aggression against Ukraine.
The Republican president was asked earlier on Tuesday about the diesel deal, but sidestepped a question about whether Russia could use proceeds to purchase more bombs.
Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Chris Coons of Connecticut also signed Tuesday’s letter.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Jonathan Spicer )
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