WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson revealed that he privately pushed the White House to contemplate the consequences of giving Russia sanctions relief as its bloody war in Ukraine unfolds.
Last week, President Trump halted the implementation of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which came on the heels of him easing certain sanctions on Russian diesel.
“We understand that Putin cannot be trusted. He demonstrates that over and over and over,” Johnson (R-La.) told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“I told the White House team that we need to talk about it, and I think carefully consider the unintended consequences that may ensue from that,” he added. “So I know the president’s evaluating this, as he does everything else.”
Trump’s decision to allow Russian diesel to flow into the US and pause the implementation of new secondary sanctions drew bipartisan blowback.
Top administration officials have pointed out that several European countries have imported fuel from Russia and contended that the secondary sanctions would impact US relations with countries that do business with Russia.
“The only thing that has been lifted is the diesel embargo. And, you know, I will point out the UK in May waived their embargo on diesel and jet fuel made with Russian crude,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
High diesel prices have caused midterm headaches for Trump, particularly due to farmers’ reliance on it.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright theorized that the sanctions relief could motivate Russia to “tone down” the war in Ukraine due to a desire to keep up the diesel exports.
Trump similarly argued in a Truth Social post that he doesn’t “want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table.”
Johnson also acknowledged that some of his colleagues had concerns about Ukrainian accusations that the Trump administration throttled its access to Starshield satellite internet and hasn’t been sharing intelligence about incoming Russian ballistic missile strikes.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) revealed Monday that he co-hosted a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who expressed concerns about Starshield and intelligence sharing.
“Unquestionably, we stand with Ukraine against Russia’s murderous invasion,” Blumenthal posted on X. “Ukraine wants peace & is ready to negotiate—appeasement won’t work with Putin, a thug who understands only strength & force.”
Officials such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio have denied that the Trump administration ordered a slowdown on Ukraine’s Starshield access or cut off intelligence sharing.
“I don’t know who it was, but I’d like to find out,” Trump said when asked about that Monday. “Zelensky is a man that should have had this war settled a long time ago.”
“Ukraine could have had this thing settled a long time ago. If he would have listened to me, and you remember the Oval Office, he would have had this settled a long time ago. Maybe it’s time for Zelensky to get somebody else to negotiate.”
