Mikie Sherrill warned that the importation of Russian diesel would undermine Ukraine Credit Bloomberg/Jon Cherry Harriet Barber Show biography Harriet Barber is an international news reporter, based in Latin America. 3:03pm GMT New Jersey’s Democratic governor is considering blocking Russian diesel shipments from entering the state, after condemning Donald Trump’s deal with Vladimir Putin as “corrupt and illegal”.

Mikie Sherrill told the Financial Times that she was examining options to prevent tankers carrying Russian fuel from docking at ports in New Jersey, the largest petroleum import and distribution hub on the US east coast.

Ms Sherrill said that Mr Trump’s deal with Moscow would line the pockets of the Russian president at the “expense of American consumers and our democratic ally Ukraine”.

“Donald Trump isn’t doing anything to bring down [petrol] prices, diesel prices or costs,” she added. “Trump’s diesel deal with Putin is corrupt and illegal, and I am evaluating options to stop it from arriving at a port in New Jersey.”Her comments came as three tankers carrying a combined 140,000 tonnes of Russian diesel were due to arrive at US ports in the days after the midterm elections, which would be the first shipments authorised under Mr Trump’s deal to ease sanctions on Russian fuel.

Mr Trump announced the agreement on Oct 9, saying Russia would immediately supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to US and global markets.

A further 500,000 tonnes would be supplied in November, followed by another million tonnes, according to Mr Trump’s announcement.

Lifting sanctions The US treasury subsequently issued a six-month licence temporarily lifting sanctions restrictions on Russian diesel imports, allowing shipments to proceed until April 2027.

The deal marks a reversal of years of Western efforts to isolate the Russian economy following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The three tankers left the Russian port of St Petersburg earlier this month. One is blacklisted by the US and another by the EU, raising questions about whether companies involved in handling the cargoes could face legal repercussions. Greenpeace believes there are at least three further tankers of Russian diesel headed to the US.

New Jersey’s petroleum terminals make the state the largest petroleum import and distribution hub on the east coast of the US Anadolu via Getty Images/Tayfun Coskun The agreement has prompted criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, who argued that the treasury’s sanctions waiver may be unlawful.

The treasury maintains that its general licence authorises the transactions. But critics say it cannot override the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act, passed by Congress in 2022, which prohibits imports of Russian oil and petroleum products.

On Monday, senior Democrats joined Republican senator Thom Tillis in warning US companies that they could face investigations if they helped bring Russian diesel into the country.

A day later, Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic member of the Senate armed services committee, wrote to two shipping companies whose tankers are carrying Russian fuel to the US, urging them to turn the vessels around rather than proceed with what he described as an “illegal delivery”.

It is unclear what authority Ms Sherrill has to prevent the ships from docking at New Jersey’s ports. Telegraph View Russia must pay for its aggression