On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. will ban imports of oil and energy products from Russia.
According to ABC News, many European allies and partners to the U.S. are not expected to issue similar bans.
“Today, I’m announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy. We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy,” Biden said during a news conference on Tuesday. “That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at U.S. ports, and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine,” he added.
BREAKING: Pres. Biden announces U.S. ban on Russian oil imports.
“Today I’m announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy…The American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.” https://t.co/0D4fobaeBA pic.twitter.com/9Kb1HYDF14
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) March 8, 2022
As Christian Headlines previously reported, Russia is the third-largest oil producer in the world, behind the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Last year, the U.S. received three percent of its oil from Russia. That same gas only made up one percent of the oil Russia produced last year.
White House officials say the ban will not have a significant financial impact on Russia, especially since sanctions have already affected the Russian oil industry by restricting the nation’s banks.
Nonetheless, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle urged Biden to ban the import of Russian oil. According to a recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, 69 percent of the American people also voiced support for a ban on Russian oil even if it resulted in higher gas prices in the U.S.
Russia’s war on Ukraine has already contributed to a surge in gas prices across the U.S.
As Christian Headlines reported on Tuesday, gas prices have reached a historic high in the U.S., even breaking record-highs that were set during the 2008 recession.
The rising prices are the result of inflation, high demand, and the war on Ukraine.
AAA reported on Tuesday that the average cost of gas per gallon is $4.17 across the U.S. Last week the average price of regular gas per gallon was $3.60, $0.57 less than the current national average. The national average is expected to surpass the $5 per gallon mark in the near future, though, in some states, such as California, the cost is already well above $5 per gallon.
As he arrived in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday afternoon, President Biden was asked by a reporter about the rising gas prices. “They’re gonna go up,” he said. “Can’t do much right now. Russia’s responsible.”
Related:
Rick Warren Rebukes U.S. for Buying Russian Oil: ‘We Are Funding the Murder of Ukraine’
Photo courtesy: Jakob Rosen/Unsplash
Kayla Koslosky has been the Editor of ChristianHeadlines.com since 2018. She has B.A. degrees in English and History and previously wrote for and was the managing editor of the Yellow Jacket newspaper. She has written on her blog since 2012 and has also contributed to IBelieve.com and Crosswalk.com.
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