Psaki accuses gas prices of rising because of Putin’s invasion, as the White House hints they could ban Russian oil and make a deal with Iran to increase supplies
- Jen Psaki blames rising gas prices for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine
- “The reason the price of gas is rising is not because of the steps the president has taken, but because President Putin is invading Ukraine,” she said.
- The Biden administration has said it is considering a ban on Russian oil
- “We are considering options that we can take right now,” said Cecilia Rose, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
- A nuclear deal with Tehran could allow Iranian oil back on the market
- “We’re not there.” So, if and when we get to that point, we can talk about it, “Psaki said
the White House press secretary Jen Psaki on friday blamed rising gas prices for Vladimir Putinthe invasion of Ukraine as the administration said it was considering banning Russian oil as punishment for the Kremlin.
“The reason the price of gas is rising is not because of the steps the president has taken, but because President Putin is invading Ukraine and creating great instability in the global market,” Psaki said.
And Cecilia Rose, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, has hinted that banning Russian oil and gas on the US market is an option.
“We are looking at options we can take right now if we need to reduce Russian energy consumption in the United States – but what is really most important is to maintain a stable supply of global energy,” she said.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki blames rising gas prices for Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine
Earlier, President Joe Biden said of the ban on Russian energy products: “Nothing is on the table.”
And he faces pressure from both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill to make such a move – one that observers say would be largely symbolic, given how few U.S. energy supplies come from Russia.
Russia is the world’s second-largest energy producer, but accounts for only 3% of US supplies
Gas and oil make up a huge percentage of Russia’s revenue, as it is the world’s largest oil exporter, selling about 5 million barrels worldwide each day. About 60 percent of these exports are to Europe, 20 percent to China.
There are talks between the administration and the American oil and gas industry about the impact that such a ban would have on both American consumers and the world, Bloomberg reported.
Oil jumped to nearly $ 120 a barrel this week for the first time in a decade after the West imposed sanctions on Russia over Ukraine.
And the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $ 3.84 on Thursday, according to AAA. Experts have warned that big cities can count on $ 5 a gallon in the near future.
Congress has already dropped the ball for Russia’s energy ban.
Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin and Republican Sen. Lisa Markowski have introduced legislation that will block the flow of Russian oil and gas to the United States. Speaker Nancy Pelosi supported the idea, as did many Republicans.
“Putin unites everyone,” Manchin said.
But Psaki seemed to be running it on Thursday.
“Our goal and the president’s goal is to maximize the impact on Russia while minimizing the impact on us and our allies and partners,” she said. “We have no strategic interest in reducing global energy supplies, and that would raise gas station prices for the American people around the world.”
People take personal belongings out of a burning house after a shooting in the city of Irpin, outside Kyiv, Ukraine
A Ukrainian military car passes on a main road near Sitnyaki, Ukraine
Psaki also on Friday did not rule out Iranian oil returning to the market if a deal is reached with Tehran.
“Again, there is no Iran, no deal at the moment, while we are close. we are not there. So, if and when we get to that point, we can talk about it, “she said when asked.
A deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program would lift sanctions against its oil sector, but it could take several months for more Iranian crude oil to flow, and even then it could offer only a short break in tight oil markets, analysts said. in front of Reuters.
Data firm Kpler estimates that Iran had 100 million barrels in floating storage by mid-February, meaning it could add 1 million barrels per day (bpd) or 1% of global supply in about three months, but that would it was only a short-lived boost.