Dikhyaa Mohanty 
President Joe Biden announced that the US would ban the import of Russian oil and gas, “targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy” in response to its invasion of Ukraine. The president also stated that he made the decision in consultation with European allies but added they may not be in a position to join the US in banning Russian energy imports.
According to the reports, Biden said that the action follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the US and Western officials to cut off the import of Russian oil and gas. Americans have rallied to support the Ukrainian people and have made it clear we will not be part of subsidising Putin’s war.
He further added “The latest move is likely to escalate further tension between the two countries and would impose a greater economic cost to invading Ukraine. This is a step that we’re taking to inflict further pain on Putin, but there will be costs as well here in the United States. I said I would level with the American people from the beginning, and when I first spoke to this, I said defending freedom is going to cost us as well in the United States.”
