Just after Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, I listened as President Biden described his “historic” sanctions that would be imposed upon the aggressor. Excluded from Biden’s speech was any mention of terminating U.S. purchases of crude oil from Russia. America buys 670,000 barrels of crude, providing the Russians $60 million per day. Then we learned that energy resources (natural gas, oil and coal) are excluded from the sanctions. Thus America is now financing Russia’s attack of Ukraine.
For many months, Biden looked the other way while Russia amassed its invasion force on Ukraine’s border. We could certainly have been providing defensive weaponry, but instead chose not to.
Let’s recall that on the first day of his presidency, Biden canceled plans for the Keystone XL pipeline to cross into the United States. It would have furnished 830,000 barrels per day, much more than we’re buying from Russia. Biden did that as a move to reduce global climate change, but I believe it was meaningless and did nothing of the kind.
If Biden was serious about restraining Russian aggression, he would rescind the limitations he placed on America’s energy companies upon taking office. That would unleash them — allowing the Keystone XL pipeline to proceed, additional leases to be exploited and America to return to energy self-sufficiency, thus reducing the current inflationary cost of fuels to previous levels. Further, it would allow America to export oil and liquefied natural gas to Europe to replace that furnished by Russia.
Maury Fey
Murrysville