US Lawmakers Move To Block Russian Diesel Waiver, Shield Ukraine Satellite Links
Congress members from both parties are pushing to revoke an energy waiver and guarantee Kyiv uninterrupted access to military communications systems.
By Noor Haddad ·
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers is seeking to overturn a federal waiver that would allow Russian diesel fuel to enter the American market while pressing the Pentagon to guarantee that Ukraine's satellite communications remain operational. Members of both parties are using legislation, congressional inquiries and direct appeals to the administration to argue that policy decisions benefiting Moscow or disrupting Kyiv's battlefield capabilities undermine US national security.
The effort follows a Treasury Department waiver issued on October 9 that authorized transactions involving Russian diesel, including imports into the United States. The same period brought reports that Ukraine's use of SpaceX's Starlink and the military-grade Starshield satellite communications systems had been restricted. Ukrainian officials say the disruptions affected military operations, though they reported on October 24 that satellite connection speeds had been restored. Who imposed the restrictions remains unclear.
Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican and co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, introduced the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act of 2026, which would cancel the October 9 waiver, set to expire on April 7, 2027, and bar future waivers for Russian energy imports. The bill would also require intelligence agencies to support Ukraine's defense and to notify congressional intelligence committees within 24 hours of any interruption. It has been referred to three House committees.
President Trump has defended the waiver as a way to expand global diesel supplies and lower prices, saying after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Russia had agreed to immediately provide more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to US and global markets. Diesel prices have climbed sharply amid energy supply disruptions linked to the war in Iran. The bill's sponsors say the waiver undercuts a 2022 federal ban on Russian oil imports. "We must not import a single drop of Russian oil," Fitzpatrick said.
On satellite access, eight lawmakers from both parties, including Representatives Marcy Kaptur, Fitzpatrick and Mike Quigley and Senators Mark Kelly, Thom Tillis and Elissa Slotkin, urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to expand the Pentagon's Starshield contract and guarantee uninterrupted service. They asked for restored speeds, adequate coverage for Ukraine's lawful military operations, including over Russian territory, and a smooth shift from commercial Starlink to government-contracted Starshield. They also suggested using the Defense Production Act, writing that service decisions "should not be left solely to the discretion of a private provider."
Ukrainian reports say restrictions introduced on October 13 disrupted communications for drones and other platforms moving faster than 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), hindering the guidance of defensive drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the limits stayed in place despite Trump's claim that service had been restored after contact with Musk. A Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told RFE/RL that SpaceX had not responded to Kyiv about the earlier limits, and that "no one has explained what happened or what will happen next."
Several Democrats are seeking answers on the matter. Representative Gregory Meeks and Senator Peter Welch led six lawmakers in questioning Musk's claim that the military and the president decided on the restrictions, citing reports that Musk himself proposed them. Senator Richard Blumenthal has demanded written answers from Musk by November 5 and a SpaceX briefing by November 12. Representatives Sam Liccardo, Ro Khanna and Jimmy Panetta have asked White House chief of staff Susie Wiles for a government-wide investigation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied that Trump or other officials ordered or knew of the restrictions. Tillis wrote on X that whoever is handing Putin "the gift of a more vulnerable Ukraine" should "have the guts to put their name on it." No vote on the bill has been scheduled.
Source: RFE/RL
