Trump Struck a Russian Diesel Deal—But US Buyers Could Still Face 20 Years in Prison

American businesses that import Russian diesel could still face severe criminal penalties—including fines of up to $1 million and up to 20 years in prison—despite President Donald Trump’s recent fuel agreement with Moscow, Rep. Jamie Raskin warned on October 26.

Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, issued the warning in a letter to the American Petroleum Institute, the US Chamber of Commerce, and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers.

He argued that the Trump administration cannot simply override a federal prohibition on Russian energy imports that Congress enacted after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“Your members are now on notice that taking part in any effort to help President Putin hawk Russian diesel in the US is a clear and dangerous violation of federal law,” Raskin wrote.

The warning centers on the bipartisan Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act and restrictions first imposed under Executive Order 14066 in 2022. Congress later codified the prohibition, meaning lifting it requires more than a unilateral change in White House policy, Raskin argued.

“Those who choose to act in this way proceed at their own risk and will undoubtedly be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, whether in this Administration—or the next,” he added.

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According to the House Judiciary Committee Democrats, violations can carry civil penalties of up to twice the value of a prohibited transaction, while criminal violations can result in fines of up to $1 million and prison sentences of as long as 20 years. The applicable statute of limitations is 10 years.

The dispute follows Trump’s agreement to purchase nearly 2 million tons of Russian diesel. His administration subsequently issued an Office of Foreign Assets Control license intended to provide sanctions relief, but Raskin maintains that such a license cannot override the statutory import ban enacted by Congress.

Raskin said the President does have a legal path to ending the prohibition—but only after consulting Congress and certifying that Russia has met conditions established in law.

Those conditions include Russia agreeing to withdraw its forces and cease hostilities in Ukraine under terms accepted by Ukraine’s freely elected government, no longer posing an immediate military threat to NATO members, and recognizing Ukrainians’ right to choose their own leadership.

Raskin accused the administration of trying to bend existing US law to provide economic relief to Moscow.

“Even as Russia actively supplies weapons to Iran that are being used to kill American service members, President Trump has been stretching American law beyond the breaking point to throw a lifeline to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his imperialist war machine attacking the people of Ukraine,” he wrote.

Previously, US President Donald Trump blocked the implementation of sweeping sanctions and tariffs against Russia and buyers of Russian energy under a law championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, just weeks after signing the legislation himself.

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