79% of Americans Back Ban on Russian Oil – Even If It Means Higher Energy Prices
Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday the United States will ban the importation of Russian oil amid the latter’s ongoing war against Ukraine. The decision enjoys widespread support among Americans, according to a Wall Street Journal poll released the same day.
Taken before Biden’s announcement, the survey indicates 79% of Americans support such a ban even if it means paying higher energy prices. Just 13% oppose a ban.
The Journal asked 529 registered voters, “Would you favor or oppose the U.S. imposing new sanctions on Russia by banning the sale of Russian oil to the U.S., even if you knew it would cause U.S. energy prices to increase?”
Seventy-seven percent of Republicans said they favor a ban on Russian oil, while 88% of Democrats said they do.
Russia is the world’s third-largest oil producer in terms of output and the biggest exporter of oil. However, the impact on Americans may be minimal, as Russian oil accounted for just 3% of total consumption in the U.S. last year.
The poll backs up some anecdotal evidence that Americans might be willing to pay more at the pump if it means snubbing Russian oil, even at a time of record gas prices. Horrific images of dead and wounded Ukrainian civilians may be taking their toll on U.S. public opinion and attitudes toward Russia.
On Tuesday, CNN’s Vanessa Yurkevich reported from a gas station in New Jersey and relayed that people are “ok paying higher prices if it means holding Russia accountable for what they are doing in Ukraine.”
