Seven US senators from both the Republican and Democratic parties urged President Donald Trump to reverse a diesel supply deal with Russia, saying it violates US law prohibiting Russian energy imports until Moscow ends its aggression against Ukraine, according to Reuters.

The four Republican and three Democratic senators said in a joint statement that Congress explicitly banned Russian energy imports in 2022 to prevent US dollars from financing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine.

They added that the administration had neither consulted Congress nor explained its decision, as required by law.

“The United States should not be providing Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians. The administration must immediately reverse course,” the statement said.

Tillis previously said the diesel deal with Russia could be illegal and put American lives at risk. He is due to leave the Senate when his term ends in January.

Trump said on October 9 that Russia had agreed to supply over than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to US and ​global markets (equal to about 2.25 million barrels of fuel), and his administration temporarily lifted US sanctions on Russian fuel designed to deprive Moscow of revenue for its war on Ukraine. The US exports about 1.5 million barrels of diesel per day (bbl/d).

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that the Trump administration would implement the deal using its available legal authorities. He said the agreement, announced by Trump on October 9, was in the interests of the American people and would lower prices.

“We are going to do it with all the legal authorities ‌we have. ⁠So, you know, anyone in Congress who says whether it’s an old bill or the current Lindsey Graham bill (that) prohibits us from doing it is wrong,” said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Diesel prices, which are often a big driver of inflation, are up 70% since the US and Israel launched the war with Iran on February 28. The wars in Iran and Ukraine have triggered a severe global fuel supply crunch, pushing average US diesel prices ​to $6.28 a gallon on October 8 as Reuters reported.

US diesel futures fell almost 5% following news of the deal and were trading at $4.64 a gallon.