‘The noose is tightening’: US bans Russian energy imports and UK will stop using Russian oil this year

US News

The UK plans to ban Russian oil imports by the end of the year in a further tightening of sanctions after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

That will give the UK nine months to adjust to buy stocks from the US and the Middle East.

The prime minister is expected to make the announcement today.

It will come around the same time as the US is also expected to cut off Russia from the trade in crude.

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It follows pleas by Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop the trade – which has so far been allowed to continue even as other restrictions increase.

Ukraine war latest – live updates as Russia accused of breaching humanitarian ceasefire

Oil prices, already at multi-year highs, climbed back above $130 a barrel as details of the latest sanctions emerged.

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The White House said President Biden was set to announce “actions to continue to hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked and unjustified war on Ukraine”.

America, which had previously floated the idea of an oil ban over the weekend, is expected to act more swiftly than its allies – with European nations more dependent than the US on Russian energy supplies.

The Kremlin has warned of “catastrophic” conseqences for consumers if the US and its allies ban Russian oil, with deputy prime minister Alexander Novak saying oil prices could hit $300 a barrel.

Mr Novak also said it could stop the flow of gas through pipelines from Russia to Germany in response to Berlin’s decision last month to halt the opening of the controversial new Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

European countries have said they plan to reduce their reliance on energy from Russia but this will take some time.

Natural gas from Russia accounts for one-third of Europe’s consumption of the fuel.

On Monday, prime minister Boris Johnson said that “you can’t simply close down the use of oil and gas overnight even from Russia”.

Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz said an exemption for energy deliveries from sanctions was of “essential significance” for Europe’s day-to-day heating, transport, power supply and industry needs.

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