Biden opposed the Russian oil import ban but yesterday he enacted it. This reversal is surprising because the ban increases gas prices, which is terrible news for domestic politics. Even before the ban, U.S. sent a delegation to Venezuela, a country under U.S. sanctions. Biden is trying to lobby Crown Prince Salman of Saudi Arabia, with whom his administration has strained relations.
So, why the ban? What were the compulsions and what does this say about the state of the Biden Presidency? Russian oil ban is popular in the U.S. In the Senate and House, both Democrats and Republicans support it. Surprisingly, it also has bipartisan public support, an increasingly rare occurrence in American politics. Opposing the ban meant looking weak on foreign policy, compounding the prestige loss from the Afghanistan withdrawal. Biden’s reversal on the Russian oil ban reveals the administration’s shaky hold on domestic politics which could have implications in other areas, such as climate policy. As the Ukrainian crisis plays out, it is not clear how high oil prices will rise and what additional policy reversals Biden administration might be forced to make.