WASHINGTON, DC – In a rare display of bipartisan unity, US Senators Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, and John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, have proposed an amendment to the upcoming 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would prohibit the sale or export of petroleum from America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to several key geopolitical rivals.
The proposed amendment, reviewed by Kyiv Post on Wednesday, aims to prevent any oil drawn from the nation’s emergency reserves from reaching Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, or any entity under their ownership or control, including those tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
If passed, the measure would mandate the Secretary of Energy to enforce this ban under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. A limited waiver, however, would allow the Secretary to greenlight such exports if it’s deemed to be in the US national security interests.
The amendment also includes a directive for the Energy Secretary to issue regulations implementing the new restrictions within 60 days of the NDAA’s enactment, alongside conforming adjustments to existing energy legislation.
Its introduction signals a growing consensus across the political spectrum on Capitol Hill regarding the safeguarding of US strategic assets from potential misuse by adversarial states.
Ukraine: A nation forged in conflict, pivotal to global stability
Speaking to The Kyiv Post on Wednesday morning, two congressional sources knowledgeable about the Cruz–Fetterman amendment emphasized that the bipartisan effort by Senators to restrict Strategic Petroleum Reserve exports to nations like Russia and China underscores Kyiv’s enduring strategic importance in the broader struggle against autocratic powers.
Russia’s ongoing war continues to dominate global headlines, with Ukraine emerging as a crucial security partner for the US and Europe, even as it grapples with immense economic and humanitarian challenges.
In the meantime, as congressional sources note, Ukraine’s strategic importance extends beyond its role in resisting Russian aggression, and the eventual outcome of this war will undoubtedly reshape the European security landscape – including energy security – for decades to come.