Energy and Space: Congressional Pushback on Russian Diesel and Starlink

A bipartisan coalition of US lawmakers has launched a coordinated effort to challenge two recent executive actions that affect the war in Ukraine: a waiver allowing Russian diesel imports and reported restrictions on satellite communications. The legislative push, which includes new bills and formal inquiries, seeks to reassert congressional authority over foreign policy decisions made by the White House. Lawmakers argue that these moves weaken US leverage and complicate Ukraine's defense capabilities.

The conflict centers on a Treasury Department waiver issued on October 9, which authorized transactions involving Russian diesel fuel. President Donald Trump announced the deal after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that Moscow agreed to provide more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel to US and global markets. The waiver is set to expire on April 7, 2027. Trump defended the arrangement as a method to expand global supplies and lower prices, citing energy disruptions linked to the war in Iran.

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, introduced the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act of 2026 to address the fuel issue. He is joined by Republican Don Bacon of Nebraska and Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington. The bill would cancel the current waiver and bar future waivers for Russian energy imports. It also requires intelligence agencies to support Ukraine's defense and notify congressional committees within 24 hours of any service interruptions. The measure has been referred to three House committees.

Sponsors argue the waiver contradicts a 2022 federal ban on Russian oil imports. Fitzpatrick stated, "We must not import a single drop of Russian oil." Bacon described the executive action as "egregious appeasement to Putin." Gluesenkamp Perez suggested that the administration should focus on ending the war in Iran to lower gasoline prices rather than directing funds to Russia.

Simultaneously, eight lawmakers, including Representatives Marcy Kaptur, Fitzpatrick, and Mike Quigley, and Senators Mark Kelly, Thom Tillis, and Elissa Slotkin, have written to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding satellite access. They demand an expansion of the Pentagon's Starshield contract to guarantee uninterrupted service for Ukraine. The letter requests restored speeds, adequate coverage for military operations, and a transition from commercial Starlink to government-contracted Starshield. The lawmakers suggested using the Defense Production Act, arguing that service decisions "should not be left solely to a private provider."

Ukrainian officials reported that restrictions imposed on October 13 disrupted communications for drones moving faster than 100 miles per hour. Although Kyiv reported on October 24 that connection speeds had been restored, a Ukrainian official noted that SpaceX had not explained the earlier limits. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the limits persisted despite Trump's claim that service was restored after contact with Elon Musk.

Democratic lawmakers are seeking formal answers. Senator Richard Blumenthal has demanded written responses from Musk by November 5 and a 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 the president or other officials ordered the restrictions. Senator Thom Tillis wrote that whoever is handing Putin "the gift of a more vulnerable Ukraine" should "have the guts to put their name on it."