By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Monday defended a diesel oil deal he made with Russia as lawmakers from both parties complained the agreement appears to violate US law barring imports of Russian energy until Moscow ‌ends its aggression against Ukraine.

Trump has said the deal to lift sanctions on Russian oil exports would help bring down high fuel ‌prices. However some analysts doubted the amount of diesel Trump has said Russia would provide over the next three months would do much to bring down prices, since it ​is equal to about 12 hours of global consumption of the fuel.

On Friday, Trump said Russia had agreed to supply diesel to global markets, and his administration temporarily lifted US sanctions on Russian fuel designed to deprive Moscow of revenue for its war on Ukraine. On Monday, Trump said the deal would help American farmers and ranchers.<...