Biden WON’T ban Russian oil: Press kicked of Cabinet meeting during questions on Russian energy and Psaki snaps at reporters as Nancy Pelosi leads lawmakers urging White House to stop imports

  • ‘We don’t have a strategic interest in reducing the global supply of energy, and that would raise prices at the gas pump for the American people,’ Psaki said
  • She shifted blame to oil companies for not doing more to increase U.S. production 
  • Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for ban on all oil and gas exports from Russia 
  • ‘Ban it. Ban the oil coming from Russia,’ Pelosi said
  • Her call came as  President Joe Biden prepares to sanction more Russian oligarchs and their families
  • United States cracking down on Russia after Ukraine invasion
  • New sanctions, which could come as soon as Thursday, will mirror those the EU put on Russian oligarchs but not target the exact same people 
  • But will be expanded to oligarch’s families so they can’t transfer assets to spouses or children 

The White House does not support a ban on Russian oil imports, according to press secretary Jen Psaki, despite even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joining in on the calls for the U.S. to cease buying Moscow’s fuel.

‘We don’t have a strategic interest in reducing the global supply of energy, and that would raise prices at the gas pump for the American people,’ Psaki told reporters Thursday.

Asked what would need to happen ‘on the ground’ in Ukraine for the U.S. to stop buying Russian oil, the press secretary demurred.

‘I don’t know if we look at it exactly through that prism. Obviously we have not held back in taking significant, historic steps that are crippling the Russian economy right now,’ she said.

‘The factor that we’re looking at here is the impact on the gas pump for Americans. Reduction in supply in the market place, reduction for global supply, would have an impact on raising prices. So that’s the prism that w’ere looking at it through.’

Reporters shouted down President Biden on Thursday as he took part in a Cabinet meeting.

‘Will you ban Russian oil?’ a reporter asked as the press pool was ushered out of the meeting before the Cabinet began its discussion.

‘He said No! Let’s go!’ a Biden staffer said as they ushered press out of the room. ‘No, he didn’t.’ ‘He didn’t respond to anything,’ multiple reporters were heard grumbling.

Biden briefly addressed the matter a day earlier when he replied to a reporter asking about Russian gas bans: ‘nothing is off the table.’

Asked why the White House was not doing more to increase oil production at home, Psaki shot back: ‘There are 9,000 approved oil leases that the oil companies are not tapping into currently, so I would ask them that question.’

‘Is there nothing that the administration can do to get those providers back to pre-pandemic levels?’ Fox News’ Jacquie Heinrich asked Psaki.

‘You think oil companies don’t have enough money to drill on the places that have been pre-approved?’ Psaki said, seemingly annoyed at the question. ‘I would point that question to them and we can talk about it more tomorrow when you learn more.’

The press secretary ruled out resurrecting the Keystone Pipeline as a means for upping U.S. fuel production. ‘The Keystone Pipeline has never been operational. It would take years for that to have any impact.’

She did, however, push for more clean energy investments.  ‘If we do more to invest in clean energy, if we do more to invest in other sources of energy, that’s exactly what we can do to prevent this from happening in the future.’

‘As long as we’re buying Russian oil though, aren’t we financing the war?’ Heinrich pressed Psaki.

‘It’s only about 10% of what we are importing,’ Psaki replied.

On Wednesday the Biden administration announced a fresh round of sanctions against Russia’s and Belarus’s defense systems, as well as export controls to target oil refining. However, they carved out energy payments from the sanctions list to allow fuel trade between the U.S. and Russia to go unhindered.

‘The United States and our Allies and partners do not have a strategic interest in reducing the global supply of energy– which is why we have carved out energy payments from our financial sanctions. But we and our Allies and partners share a strong interest in degrading Russia’s status as a leading energy supplier over time,’ a White House fact sheet read.