House Speaker Johnson Urges White House to Consider Russia Sanctions Relief Consequences

House Speaker Mike Johnson has privately communicated concerns to the White House regarding the potential "unintended consequences" of easing sanctions on Russia, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Johnson stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot be trusted," citing repeated actions that demonstrate this.

President Trump recently halted the implementation of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act and had previously eased certain sanctions related to Russian diesel. Johnson conveyed his message to the White House team, urging careful consideration of the implications of these actions.

"I told the White House team that we need to talk about it, and I think carefully consider the unintended consequences that may ensue from that," Johnson said in an interview on "Sunday Morning Futures." "So I know the president’s evaluating this, as he does everything else."

The decision to allow Russian diesel into the U.S. and pause new secondary sanctions has drawn criticism from both parties. Administration officials have noted that several European nations import fuel from Russia and argued that secondary sanctions could strain relations with those countries. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pointed out that the UK had also waived its embargo on diesel and jet fuel made with Russian crude in May.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright suggested that the sanctions relief might encourage Russia to de-escalate the war in Ukraine, motivated by a desire to maintain diesel exports. President Trump echoed this sentiment, stating in a social media post that he did not want to alienate Russia from potential negotiations.

Johnson also acknowledged concerns raised by some colleagues regarding allegations that the Trump administration had restricted Ukraine's access to Starshield satellite internet and limited intelligence sharing on Russian ballistic missile strikes. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) reported a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who expressed alarm over these issues. Blumenthal stated that Ukraine seeks peace and is prepared to negotiate, but that "appeasement won’t work with Putin, a thug who understands only strength & force."

Officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio have denied any deliberate slowdown in Starshield access or intelligence sharing. President Trump commented on the matter, suggesting that the war could have been resolved earlier if Ukraine had accepted his previous counsel and indicated that it might be time for Ukraine to seek new negotiators.