Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has a message for President Donald Trump about his Russia strategy: coddling Vladimir Putin is not a peace plan. It is a recipe for a longer war.
In a Sunday opinion article in the Wall Street Journal, McConnell wrote that Trump's attempts to end the war by "coddling" Putin and restricting assistance to Kyiv are "certain to fail." The Kentucky Republican, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, also took direct aim at Trump's agreement to import hundreds of thousands of tons of Russian diesel into the U.S., saying the proposed supply would do "little" to lower prices.
McConnell didn't stop at the diesel math. He also disputed Trump's claim that Russia "has been fine on Ukraine" after reported energy ceasefire violations. "This is factually wrong, strategically naive and morally bankrupt," McConnell wrote.
His broader warning: withholding U.S. security and intelligence assistance, along with access to crucial satellite communications, would not materially weaken Ukraine's resolve to defend itself. But it could hand Putin battlefield gains previously out of reach. "This could prolong the war, not shorten it," he stated.
Russian Diesel Deal Faces Price and Legal Risks
The criticism lands as the first Russian diesel shipment to the U.S. since 2022 was sent under the Trump-Putin agreement. The Malta-flagged tanker Agioi Fanendes loaded 40,000 metric tons on Thursday. Shipping data cited by Reuters indicated the tanker was expected to reach New York on Nov. 7. The administration is pursuing the imports as it seeks to ease fuel costs ahead of the midterm elections.
Bank of America commodity strategist Francisco Blanch expects Russian diesel imports to have only a marginal impact on prices due to domestic supply shortages in Russia. He views any decline in distillate prices as a buying opportunity.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average diesel price on Monday was $6.3521 per gallon, up $0.032 from the previous week's average.
Meanwhile, the arrangement has triggered legal warnings. On Monday, Rep. Jamie Raskin cautioned U.S. oil companies that participating could expose them to criminal and civil liability despite sanctions relief, writing, "Your members are now on notice." Raskin called participation a "clear and dangerous violation of federal law" and said companies "will undoubtedly be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."
