President Donald Trump on Monday defended a plan to import diesel from Russia amid growing bipartisan calls in Congress to reverse it. "I made the right choice for the American People—always America first," Trump said. On Friday, he announced that after a discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow would "immediately" supply 300,000 metric tons of diesel to U.S. and global markets, followed by 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons shortly after. According to Trump, Russia would then deliver another 3 million tons, depending on the condition of its refineries. The U.S. Treasury issued a temporary license easing sanctions on Russian diesel to facilitate the arrangement.

Seven senators released a joint statement Sunday saying the decision "runs directly counter" to a 2022 law banning Russian energy imports. The signers were Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and John Curtis of Utah, and Democrats Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. They said the administration had not consulted Congress or explained its decision, and wrote: "The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians. The Administration must immediately reverse course." Murkowski added that Congress recently passed legislation to increase sanctions and tariffs on Russia, and said Russia's return to global energy markets could be discussed once the war ends.

Other Republicans also voiced opposition. Sen. John Kennedy told The Washington Sun he does not support the move and called Putin a "butcher," while Rogers said he would not want to give Putin "an inch." A spokesperson for Sen. Dan Sullivan told The New York Times the senator believes American energy dominance, including more Alaska production, is the answer to high prices rather than imports from Russia. Rep. Don Bacon criticized Trump's approach to Russia in social media posts, saying the U.S. should not stand with the invader and pressure the victim to make concessions.

On Sunday, Trump also declared that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an "energy ceasefire" effective immediately, a announcement that surprised policymakers, including in Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that Russian strikes overnight and into the morning hit energy facilities and wounded 33 people, calling them violations of the ceasefire and "Putin's answer to Trump." He said Ukraine was awaiting details of U.S.-Russia conversations. Trump, responding over the weekend to Zelensky's initial criticism of the diesel deal, told reporters "it's time for Ukraine to get a new President." Oil prices fell Monday after the ceasefire announcement before rising later.

The deal comes as fuel costs have become a political liability for Republicans ahead of November's midterm elections, in which the party risks losing both chambers. Diesel prices reached a record average of $6.5276 per gallon in late September, according to AAA, and averaged $6.2665 on Monday, up from $3.6653a year earlier. Prices have climbed since the Iran war began in February, and farmers have told TIME that operations are severely affected. A Pew Research Center survey found 84% of registered voters consider the economy very important to their vote.

Analysts doubt the arrangement will significantly lower prices. Mohit Kumar of Jefferies said the agreed volumes are unlikely to make a substantial difference, and Lombard Odier analysts cautioned that announced shipments are not equivalent to delivered supply and that the deal does not restore damaged infrastructure or normalize maritime transport. Former International Energy Agency oil division head Neil Atkinson said the source of the volumes is "a mystery," noting that a recent G7-authorized release of 50 million barrels of oil products had made almost zero difference to diesel market tightness. Whether the administration revises the plan under congressional pressure, and whether the energy ceasefire holds, remain open questions.