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Will U.S. solidarity with Ukraine hold if Americans feel pain at the pump?

Gas is pumped into a vehicle in Los Angeles, California.
Gas is pumped into a vehicle in Los Angeles, California.

President Joe Biden is stuck between a rock and a hard place: the American people’s desire to lower inflation and Russian oil exports.

As the war in Ukraine rages on, the United States and its allies are using sanctions to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. And the next round of sanctions may be wildly unpopular: Russian oil exports. Even the mere mention of the ban sent oil prices per barrel towards 2008 highs.

American solidarity with Ukraine has been high, but will that continue if people feel pain at the pump? And what could be the political implications?

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Rupert Allman