US President Donald Trump has agreed a deal for hundreds of thousands of tonnes of Russian diesel despite a congressional ban on such imports, triggering bipartisan fury in Washington and accusations online that he is acting as 'Putin's lapdog.'
Trump announced on Friday, 9 October 2026, that he had reached an accord with Russian President Vladimir Putin to increase diesel supplies, alongside a temporary easing of US sanctions on Russian fuel. Critics argue the move risks weakening pressure on Moscow over its war against Ukraine.