Great Britain and the United States announce a stop to imports of Russian oil and gas. This is the umpteenth sanction against Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine. “A ruble is now worth less than a penny, a cent of an American dollar, we have created a crater in the Russian economy,” said Joe Biden announcing the new provision and explaining that he had consulted with allies and was aware that not everyone could join. to the move.
For the United Kingdom, it is a commitment to reduce its energy supplies of gas and oil from Moscow to zero by the end of the year. However, London, unlike many continental European countries, imports a residual quantity of these raw materials from Moscow compared to its overall needs.
War in Ukraine, “operational humanitarian corridor” in Sumy. Air attack on Kalinovka. The Pentagon: “Between 2,000 and 4,000 Russian soldiers killed”. Biden: “Stop importing Russian oil and gas”
UPDATES FROM UKRAINE FROM FRANCESCA MANNOCCHI, MONICA PEROSINO. LIVE BY CHIARA BALDI, FULVIO CERUTTI, DANIELA LANNI, MARINA PALUMBO, ROBERTO PAVANELLO
Biden, on the other hand, announced a ban on imports of oil and natural gas from Russia. The United States has therefore decided to proceed without the participation of the European Union. In 2021, about 8% of U.S. imports of oil and refined products came from Russia, or about 672,000 barrels a day, according to data from the Wall Street Journal. Isolating the crude oil figure, this is about 200,000 barrels per day, about 3% of US imports.
The reaction of the market was immediate as the price of WTI crude oil jumped by 8% to 128 dollars a barrel. Biden then warned that “defending freedom” will cost American consumers, especially at the gas station, but promised that he will do “everything to minimize the price increase here. Putin will not win, he will be able to conquer cities but not an entire country ».
“It is an honor to be in the same room with the Ukrainian ambassador and to hear her speak. The attack on Ukraine is an attack on democracy. And the Ukrainians are not only defending themselves but also democracy, ”said US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at an event at the Italian embassy in Washington on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
The House of Representatives will vote today on the bill introducing a ban on the import of Russian oil and other Russian energy products into the United States. The bill, Pelosi specified, “will also cover Russia’s access to the World Trade Organization and will explore ways to further reduce Russia’s presence in the global economy”. The bill will also allow the US to “impose other sanctions on Russia”.