Lawler: I Don't Want to Be Like Europe and Fund Russia with Oil Purchases

On Monday’s broadcast of Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power,” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) commented on the Russian diesel deal by stating, “Russia’s war has been financed by oil purchases by Europe. So, I don’t want to contribute to that in any way. And I think we should not have that deal.”

Lawler began by stating, “[W]hen I look at the conflicts around the globe, I have said, repeatedly, this all stems from the unholy alliance, from Russia, China, and Iran.”

He added, “I, fundamentally, am opposed to any deal with Russia that would put money in their pockets, especially as they continue this war of aggression against Ukraine. The fact is that Vladimir Putin is a vile dictator and thug who has committed numerous acts of war crimes during this conflict in Ukraine. The number of people dying on the battlefield, as the president rightly points out, is outrageous, and the war should come to an end. But, as I said from the very beginning, the Biden administration should have put secondary sanctions in place, the Europeans should have stopped purchasing Russian gas and oil from the very start. They were financing the very war they were trying to stop. So, this has been going on for a very long period of time, where Russia’s war has been financed by oil purchases by Europe. So, I don’t want to contribute to that in any way. And I think we should not have that deal.”

Lawler further stated, “[G]etting China out of the Western Hemisphere is critical, cutting off China’s supply from Iran is critical. I’ve been one of the leading people in applying sanctions, passing sanctions legislation against that illicit oil trade between China and Iran. Russia is the third leg here, if you will, which is why I’ve been so adamant about not allowing the flow of oil out of Russia, because that is what is financing Putin’s wars.”

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