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Biden: Putin is in a Difficult Position Due to New Sanctions on Russian Energy
Former U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing a "tough situation," following the coordinated new sanctions imposed by Washington and London on the Russian energy sector amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
In his remarks to reporters at the White House, Biden emphasized the importance of denying Putin any leeway to continue his horrific actions. He noted that the new sanctions targeting Russian oil could lead to an increase in gas prices by three to four cents per gallon, but they will have a significant impact on the Russian economy.
The Biden administration announced the broadest package of sanctions to date, aimed at Russian oil and gas revenues, in an effort to provide leverage for Ukraine and the incoming administration under Donald Trump to negotiate a peace agreement in the region.
Biden also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reaffirming the necessity of continuing support for Kyiv in its struggle against Russia. The White House stated in a release regarding the call that the war initiated by Putin against Ukraine has been a disaster for Russia, affirming that the bravery of the Ukrainian people, along with support from the United States, thwarted Russia's strategic objectives.
In a related development, the United States and Britain announced comprehensive sanctions on the Russian energy sector, specifically targeting Gazprom Neft, in a bid to undermine "the Kremlin's largest source of funding."
For his part, Zelensky praised these sanctions, viewing them as a "significant blow to the war machine" in Moscow, stating on the platform X that "these measures deal a severe blow to the financial foundation of the Russian war machine by completely disrupting its supply chain."
