Joe Manchin raids the “hypocritical” White House to buy 500,000 Russian oil barrels a day, while Putin uses “energy bombs” and urges the United States to increase domestic production
- West Virginia Democrat called Russian oil imports “hypocritical” after invading Ukraine
- He said Russian President Putin was using energy as a “weapon”.
- Other sanctions cut Russian banks off the global financial system
- The United States imports Russian oil into American refineries, although it is the world’s largest oil exporter
- Manchin has long argued for energy from his own country
- The White House says the market determines “where it gets raw or refined products”, but does not rule out action
west Virginia Senator Joe Manchin urges Biden administration to take even tougher action to punish Russia by banning its oil imports amid its invasion of Ukraine
Manchin, a democrat who presides Senate The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources said it was hypocritical to ask other countries to do “what we can do for ourselves” – and asked the administration to stop imports, which it said exceeded 500,000 barrels a day of oil and other Petrol products.
“It is hypocritical to keep asking other countries to do what we can do for ourselves in a cleaner way. “It is pointless to continue to rely on Russian energy while attacking Ukraine,” Manchin said.
“It simply came to our notice then Vladimir Putin uses energy as a weapon in an attempt to blackmail and coerce our European allies. “While the Americans condemn what is happening in Ukraine, the United States continues to allow imports of more than half a million barrels a day of crude oil and other petroleum products from Russia during this time of war,” the senator said in a statement Monday.
Senator Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) called “hypocritical” to continue importing Russian oil and gas after its invasion of Ukraine
His pressure came when the United States and European allies announced a series of sanctions aimed at targeting Russia’s financial sector and punishing Putin and his inner circle.
However, others, including former national security aide Dr. Fiona Hill, have called on nations and individual companies to suspend all business with Russia to avoid fostering its conquest of its neighbor through purchases of goods and other trade.
Manchin, whose resistance helped Biden stop Biden’s $ 1.8 trillion Build Better plan, has long advocated for his country’s coal-based energy resources.
He said that the continuation of imports from Russia makes no sense and poses a clear and current threat to the energy security of our nation. The United States can and must increase domestic energy production and increase access to our abundant resources and technologies to protect its energy independence and support our allies around the world.
Manchin called for blocking Russian oil and gas exports to the United States
Although the world’s largest energy producer, the United States imports oil and gas from Russia and other countries for its refineries and other purposes.
President Joe Biden will address inflation in his address on the state of the Union
Locals load sandbags on a truck to protect the city, Odessa, southern Ukraine. Sandbags for the protection of the city, prepared in Odessa, Ukraine
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told the White House on Monday that “all options are on the table” but would not predict whether the United States would join Canada in banning Russian oil and gas. She read a long description of the state of the game.
“As far as Russian gas is concerned, the US government does not dictate where the US market sells our own oil and gas products, or where it acquires raw materials or refined products for domestic consumption. It all depends on the private sector, with the exception of countries under sanctions, she said.
“So American refineries, which currently import Russian products, are largely inherited refineries used in Hawaii and Alaska for certain supplies due to geography; and imports into the Persian Gulf of both some refined products and raw crude, as Gulf refineries mix supplies of raw to meet the needs of their specific refinery projects, ”she added. She said the United States welcomes private companies that have made their own statements and does not rule out further action.
Although the United States is the world’s largest exporter of oil, it imports about 672,000 barrels a day of oil and refined products from Russia, according to Wall Street Journal.
Gulf refineries are not connected to the east or west coast by pipelines, and refineries need certain types of crude oil. U.S. law also limits the size of cargo ships between U.S. ports.
The United States and its allies in the International Energy Agency (IEA) agreed on Tuesday to launch 60 million barrels of oil to try to stem rising prices.
Amid calls for action on Russian oil and gas, President Joe Biden must also fight rising inflation – with oil affecting prices in general – as well as his own commitments to use more green energy and reduce fossils. fuels.
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