President Biden announces ban on Russian oil imports

President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the United States will ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy to U.S. and Western officials to cut off the imports, which had been a glaring omission the massive sanctions put in place on Russia over the invasion. Energy exports have kept a steady influx of cash flowing to Russia despite otherwise severe restrictions on its financial sector. In remarks from The White House, Biden said the ban on Russian oil will be a "powerful blow" to "Putin's war," yet warned Americans that "defending freedom is going to cost" amid gas prices hitting record highs. The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. hit a record $4.17 Tuesday, shortly before Biden officially announced the ban on Russian oil imports. The average price rose by 10 cents per gallon in one day, and it’s up 55 cents since last week, according to AAA data. READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nat...