Key facts
- Oil companies will be held accountable if they import Russian diesel fuel under a deal struck by President Donald Trump.
- Representative Jamie Raskin sent a letter to industry heads warning against importing or processing Russian fuel subject to U.S. sanctions.
- Trump's deal to buy Russian diesel has drawn bipartisan criticism.
Representative Jamie Raskin warned oil companies on Monday that they would face legal repercussions if they imported Russian diesel fuel under a deal President Donald Trump recently struck with the Kremlin. Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, sent a letter to the heads of industry trade groups American Petroleum Institute and American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, as well as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The letter stated that participating in any effort to help President Putin sell Russian diesel in the U.S. would be a "clear and dangerous violation of federal law." Trump's announcement earlier this month that the U.S. would purchase Russian diesel to lower fuel prices, which are currently $2.70 a gallon higher than a year ago, has drawn significant bipartisan criticism.