Democrats explode over Trump's Russia diesel deal

US President Donald Trump has lifted sanctions on Russian oil, allowing 300,000 tons of diesel to be supplied to the US and global markets. This decision has sparked criticism from Democratic lawmakers.

The move has also drawn reaction from Germany, which has stated it will continue to pursue sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine. According to Germany's government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius, the federal government has taken note of the US decision but remains committed to its sanctions against Russia and is working with European partners on further sanctions.

Germany's Economic Affairs Minister Katherina Reiche's spokesperson added that Germany stands fully behind the sanctions packages and is independent of Russian oil.

The decision has raised questions about the consistency of US policy on Russian energy, particularly given the US's previous criticism of countries, including India, for buying Russian oil. The New Voice of Ukraine reported that Trump's deal with Russia was made after Ukraine refused to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries, citing a US official familiar with the negotiations.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Hill, DW News, DW English (Top Stories), The Indian Express, New Voice of Ukraine — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.