Representative Jim Costa said he joined colleagues in leading a bipartisan letter urging President Donald Trump to fully enforce sanctions against Russia and cut off a major source of funding for Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine. He said that as the war continues, the United States must increase pressure on Putin to take negotiations seriously and work toward a lasting peace. The California Democrat posted the statement on Thursday. A matching release appeared on his congressional site the same day.
“I joined my colleagues in leading a bipartisan letter urging President Trump to fully enforce sanctions against Russia and cut off a major source of funding for Putin’s war against Ukraine,” Costa wrote Thursday. “As the war continues, the United States must increase pressure on Putin to take negotiations seriously and work toward a lasting peace.” The post does not name the letter’s recipients or the specific license. The characterizations are his.
The letter is documented on Costa’s site. A release states that Costa joined Co-Chairs of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus—Representatives Mike Quigley, Marcy Kaptur, Brian Fitzpatrick, and Joe Wilson—in leading a bipartisan letter urging the president to fully implement the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 ahead of its first enforcement deadline on October 18. The lawmakers called on the administration to strengthen economic pressure on Russia, cut off revenue financing Putin’s war against Ukraine, and bring Russia to the negotiating table. Signatories include Don Bacon, Brian Fitzpatrick, Michael McCaul, Joe Wilson, Steny Hoyer, and others from both parties. Costa’s post does not list the cosigners or the Oct. 18 deadline. It identifies the action.
The letter specifically addresses General License No. 135. Lawmakers wrote that they are particularly concerned by Treasury’s Oct. 9 issuance of the license, which authorizes transactions involving Russian-origin diesel, including imports into the United States. They urged the administration to revoke the license and not issue further general licenses that reopen Russian energy transactions and restore revenue to the Kremlin’s war chest. The release on Costa’s site summarizes the call. It does not quote the full letter text. The license remains in effect.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control issued General License No. 135 on Oct. 9. The license text authorizes defined Russian-origin diesel transactions through April 7, 2027. Trump’s Oct. 9 Truth Social post announced the arrangement with President Vladimir Putin. No White House release posted this week defines the terms of any energy ceasefire or responds to the House letter. Costa’s post does not cite the license number or the April 2027 date.
The Graham Act is the statutory document. Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 in September. The act provides authorities for secondary sanctions and other measures. Member releases describe termination conditions that require a presidential certification that Russia has ceased hostilities and signed a peace agreement accepted by Ukraine. No such certification is on a White House page. Costa’s post does not cite the act by name. It addresses full enforcement.
Other members have addressed the diesel license this week. Those posts are on their accounts. Costa’s post identifies the bipartisan letter as the vehicle for urging full enforcement and increased pressure. It does not name specific prior statements by other signatories.
“Fully enforce sanctions,” “cut off a major source of funding for Putin’s war,” and “increase pressure on Putin to take negotiations seriously” are Costa’s. The Thursday post, the congressional release, the Oct. 9 license, the Graham Act, and the absence of a same-day White House response are the records. The gap is between a representative describing the letter’s call for full enforcement and revocation of the diesel license, and the continued effect of the license on a government page.