US House speaker warns Trump against easing Russia sanctions

US House Speaker Mike Johnson has urged the White House to carefully consider the potential consequences of easing sanctions on Russia, as Moscow continues its war against Ukraine.

In an interview with Fox News, Johnson said, "We know that Putin cannot be trusted; he proves that time and again," adding that he has told the White House team to discuss the issue and think carefully about the "unintended consequences that could result."

Trump's decision to allow Russian diesel to flow into the United States and to suspend the implementation of new secondary sanctions has drawn criticism from both Republican and Democratic parties. Secondary sanctions typically target parties or entities doing business with sanctioned countries, even if they are not American.

Senior US administration officials, however, have defended the move, noting that several European countries import Russian fuel and warning that imposing secondary sanctions could affect Washington's relations with countries that trade with Moscow.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Beissinger said in an interview with NBC on Sunday that the only measure lifted was the ban on diesel, noting that Britain had eased its ban on diesel and jet fuel made from Russian crude oil in May.

Meanwhile, Johnson acknowledged that some of his colleagues had expressed concerns over Ukrainian allegations that the Trump administration had restricted Kyiv's access to the Starshield satellite internet service and was no longer sharing intelligence on imminent Russian ballistic missile strikes.

It is worth noting that last week, US President Donald Trump blocked the implementation of a bill imposing sanctions on Russia and Iran, introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham, after his administration eased some restrictions on Russian diesel exports.