Sen. Blumenthal demands Russian diesel tanker turn around

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal has issued a stern warning to the shipping company handling a shipment of Russian diesel bound for the United States. The senator, a Democrat, has requested that the cargo be turned back, fearing it may violate U.S. sanctions law. The ship in question is the Malta-flagged tanker Agioi Fanendes, which was reported by Reuters to be heading towards New York with 40,000 metric tons of Russian diesel.

This marks the first delivery under a recent deal announced by President Donald Trump. Blumenthal sent a letter to the managing director of the shipping service, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Limited, urging him to confirm the reports and recall the vessel. The senator emphasized the urgency of the matter, stating, "Reverse course while there's still time."

The letter highlights that diesel shipments are prohibited under the 2022 Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act, signed by former President Joe Biden following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Blumenthal cautioned that if the Agioi Fanendes were to port and discharge its cargo, it would be engaging in an illegal transaction or aiding and abetting such a transaction.

Despite Trump's recent deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, intended to lower domestic fuel prices, Blumenthal stressed that this agreement does not supersede the clear, unambiguous law. He cautioned against using the President's directives as an excuse to ignore legal prohibitions, stating that only Congress can make the deal legally valid.

Blumenthal's letter is part of a broader legislative response to Trump's diesel deal, which has faced strong bipartisan criticism. The Agioi Fanendes, loaded in the Russian Baltic port of Primorsk on October 22, is expected to arrive in the U.S. on November 7.