Russian diesel tankers are en route to U.S. ports under a recent authorization from the Trump administration, a move that has sparked bipartisan resistance in Congress and warnings of potential investigations into companies tied to the cargoes.
A former Treasury sanctions official said the president has the legal authority to permit the shipments despite a 2022 ban on Russian energy imports. The authorization allows specific transactions but does not repeal the underlying prohibition, according to Jeremy Paner, a partner at Hughes Hubbard & Reed.
Russian diesel tankers confirmed by Moscow
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Tuesday that three vessels are crossing the Atlantic and a fourth is expected to depart Russia on Oct. 28, speaking on the sidelines of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. The cargoes, totaling about 140,000 metric tons, are the first to move under an Oct. 9 agreement between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin that temporarily permits imports of Russian diesel.
Officials pursued the authorization to ease tight diesel supplies tied to the war with Iran and Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries.
Congressional backlash and legal questions
The deal has drawn criticism on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers argue the administration cannot sidestep the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act of 2022 without congressional approval. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut pressed two shipping firms to recall their tankers, asserting that Treasury’s General License No. 135 does not override the statutory ban and warning the deliveries would violate federal law. He also demanded details from the companies and any federal guidance they received by Oct. 31.
Paner said there is a legal distinction between lifting sanctions and licensing transactions. The authorization permits these specific imports under U.S. law, he said, even though the general prohibition and some vessel designations remain in place.
Sanctioned ships among arrivals
The tankers have faced scrutiny because at least two are under Western sanctions, according to reports. The Malta-flagged Agioi Fanendes is carrying about 40,000 metric tons of diesel and is signaling New York with an estimated Nov. 7 arrival. The Talisman, a 20-year-old vessel sanctioned by the United States, United Kingdom and European Union, is expected on the East Coast around Nov. 9. A third ship, the Sierra Leone-flagged, Hong Kong-owned Leruo, is signaling an East Coast arrival near Nov. 11. The Leruo was sanctioned in 2025 by the EU, UK and Canada over alleged deceptive practices and ship-to-ship transfers.
Paner said the U.S. authorization would allow the shipments to proceed under American rules, even if a vessel is designated under U.S. sanctions. He cautioned that the authorization does not shield non-U.S. entities from EU, UK or Canadian measures, which could affect shippers, insurers, reinsurers and banks. He added that ownership changes can complicate which sanctions apply.
Shift in U.S. posture on Russian energy
The shipments mark a departure from the sweeping curbs imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, when Washington barred Russian petroleum and backed price caps on Russian oil and refined products. Under the current arrangement, U.S. authorization covers certain imports in exchange for Moscow releasing 300,000 metric tons of diesel to global markets, rising to 500,000 in November and potentially 1 million per month thereafter.
Novak criticized U.S. lawmakers opposing the plan, saying their stance runs counter to the interests of American consumers. Separately, a group of senators warned banks, fuel distributors and port authorities in New York, New Jersey and along the Texas Gulf Coast that participation in the shipments could invite investigations, and asked recipients to preserve records by Oct. 28.
Paner said he expects Congress to investigate on the U.S. side, which could reveal details about non-U.S. companies involved in the transactions.
