US President Joe Biden has announced a ban on US imports of Russian oil on Tuesday, the latest effort to cut off foreign revenue as punishment for the Ukraine invasion.
The move comes in response to pressure from US lawmakers. On Sunday, the Biden administration appeared not to favor a move that Russia’s critics say is the best – and perhaps only – way to force Moscow to withdraw.
“Simply not true his administration is holding back domestic energy production,” says Biden.
“Goal of US policy is to prevent letting “tyrants like Putin” use energy as a weapon in the future. Putin seems determined to continue on his murderous path no matter the cost. I call on Congress to pass the $12 billion Ukraine assistance package.”
Natural gas from Russia accounts for one-third of Europe’s consumption of the fossil fuel. The US does not import Russian natural gas.
The move follows pleas by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to US and western officials to cut off the imports, which had been a glaring omission to massive sanctions put in place over the invasion.
Meanwhile, 9 am to 9 pm ceasefire has been announced in 4 major cities in Ukraine.
Russia has declared a ceasefire in Ukraine capital Kyiv, and the cities of Kharkiv, Mariupol and Sumy to facilitate the evacuation of citizens.
Humanitarian corridors would be formed to safely bring out those trapped in these cities, an operation announced after a personal request to Vladimir Putin by French President Emmanuel Macron.
