US and UK ban Russian oil imports

The allies call a halt to deliveries, but Biden seems accepting that more exposed European countries will not follow suit

US president Joe Biden and UK prime minister Boris Johnson both announced on Tuesday afternoon that their countries will no longer accept Russian oil deliveries. But the chances of full Western embargo on buying from the embattled Putin regime still seems unlikely. “We are banning all imports of Russian oil, gas and energy,” says Biden. “Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at US ports.” But while the US “made this decision in close consultation with [its] allies and partners around the world, particularly in Europe”, Biden does not expect the continent to necessarily replicate its stance. “We are moving forward with this ban understanding that many of our European allies and partners ma