Former Vice President Mike Pence called on President Donald Trump to “rescind” his agreement to lift sanctions on Russian diesel fuel and stand up to “Russian aggression,” as Pence believes he did in his first term.
“For our National Security, for the security of our Allies in Europe including Ukraine, President Trump should rescind this deal immediately and return to the strong policies of our four years in the White House; impose harsh sanctions on any nation purchasing Russian energy and work with our allies to ensure Ukraine has the military support it needs to repel and defeat this Russian invasion once and for all,” Pence said in a social media post Saturday.
Trump has been facing backlash, including from fellow Republicans, after he announced Friday that “Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter.”
The Treasury Department confirmed it had granted Russia a temporary general license to supply diesel to the global market.
Pence said the deal “makes no sense” amid ongoing attacks on civilians in Ukraine, adding that it’s a betrayal of late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s legacy.
“Putin doesn’t want peace. Putin wants Ukraine. I have no doubt that if Putin overruns Ukraine, it will only be a matter of time until Russia’s military crosses a border that our troops will have to deal with him,” the former VP told followers on X.
Trump announced his deal with Russia as rising fuel prices, spurred by his war in Iran, contribute to his sinking popularity amongst voters. The president, however, blamed Putin foe Volodymyr Zelenskyy for high diesel prices in the U.S., stating that the Ukrainian president has not done enough to end the war.
Trump told reporters Saturday, “I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal because he could have made many deals and for some reason he never does.”
Pence told followers, “America should not be throwing a lifeline to Putin’s war machine. Now is the time to stand strong against Russian aggression as we did during the first Trump administration.”