New Jersey governor warns importing Russian diesel ‘will be met with harsh penalties’ amid Trump deal

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has warned the state’s ports and terminal operators that importing Russian diesel remains illegal under US federal law, despite President Donald Trump’s reported fuel deal with Moscow. She said facilities should turn away tankers involved in the trade and warned that importing the fuel could help finance Russia’s war against Ukraine without reducing US fuel costs.

Trump said Russia had agreed to supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately, another 500,000 tonnes in November and a further one million tonnes afterwards. Sherrill said the president cannot waive sanctions under the Russian Oil Act unless he certifies that Russian forces have withdrawn from Ukraine, which he has not done; she also criticised the deal in light of US hostilities with Iran, which she said had killed 23 US service members and wounded dozens.