Trump Administration Pushes American Companies to Accept Russian Diesel

The Trump administration is privately urging American companies to accept Russian diesel currently crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The American publication The Washington Sun writes about this, citing sources.

According to the publication, companies have been warned that this could expose them to significant legal and reputational risk. According to sources, American companies do not want to take on the risks of buying diesel from Russians. One reason for this, according to Democrats in Congress, is that Trump's order violates the law on sanctions.

One of the publication's sources said: "Moscow and Washington are very actively urging them [American companies] to accept these cargoes, including at a steep discount, but they are hitting a wall of resistance, which is linked to reputational and legal risks".

Another source said that the commercial owners of the cargoes had been trying to sell them for several weeks, but failed to generate interest among American companies. Several sources confirmed that, at the time the diesel was loaded onto the tankers, it had no confirmed buyer.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal states: "Any company or individual considering the purchase of Russian diesel fuel should understand that they are committing a crime and that Congress is watching. In addition, a future administration may hold them accountable, even though the current administration is turning a blind eye to this".