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American companies want nothing to do with it.
U.S. firms don’t want to take on the risks that would come with buying diesel from the Russians, in part because congressional Democrats say that Trump’s order violates sanctions laws, industry officials and energy analysts told The Washington Sun.
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“Moscow and Washington are still scrambling to find takers, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the cargoes ultimately head to Brazil,” Rapidan Energy Group said in a note to clients.
“They’re being very strongly encouraged by both Moscow and Washington to take these cargoes, including with steep discounts, but they’re encountering a wall of resistance based on reputation and legal risks,” one analyst said.
The total amount of diesel being imported from Russia over the next three months is nine days worth of US consumption.
The legal risk to companies and individuals that buy the diesel is exponentially greater than the reward of a little bit of cheap fuel, but it is congressional Democrats and their soon-to-be newfound power that is already acting as a check on Trump.