LONDON, October 30. /TASS/. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said she is considering ways to block Russian diesel deliveries to her state, home to the largest petroleum import and distribution hub on the US East Coast.
"I am evaluating options to stop it from arriving at a port in New Jersey," the Democratic governor told the Financial Times, referring to Russian diesel. She said US President Donald Trump isn't doing anything to lower gasoline and diesel prices.
Sherrill’s remarks came ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections, when voters will elect a third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives. Republicans currently control both chambers.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday that Moscow had already dispatched three tankers carrying diesel for export, with a fourth scheduled to depart on Thursday. Asked whether the vessels could be prevented from unloading in the US, Novak expressed surprise at American politicians’ opposition to the diesel deal with Russia, saying they were acting against the interests of their own citizens and the United States.
A group of US House members earlier introduced legislation aimed at blocking implementation of the agreement on Russian diesel supplies to the US. According to Axios, members of Congress are threatening businesses in an effort to deter them from participating in the deal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump discussed petroleum product supplies, among other issues, during an October 9 phone call. Putin said Moscow had reaffirmed its readiness to supply oil and petroleum products to the US and global markets.