US president Joe Biden on Wednesday said that the United States will release 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve during his first state of the union address. He said that the move is aimed at boosting the global oil supply which has been disrupted by the conflict in Ukraine.
Biden also announced a task force to investigate crimes committed by Russian oligarchs. “The US department of justice is assembling a dedicated task force to go after the crimes of Russian oligarchs. We are joining with our European allies to find and seize their yachts, their luxury apartments, their private jets. We are coming for their ill-begotten gains,” Biden said.
The US president earlier announced sanctions targeting many in Putin’s close circle and targeting Russia’s central banks but the sanctions, according to a report, failed to make any considerable impact on Russian oligarchs.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova was US president Biden’s guest in this year’s state of the union address. Markarova received a standing ovation from all attendees as the US poured support for Ukraine amid the challenge it faces due to Russian aggression.
“President Putin thought he could roll into Ukraine — and the world would roll over. Instead, he met a wall of strength he never imagined. He met the Ukrainian people,” Biden said. He also criticised Putin’s actions and said that his actions seek to undermine the existence of the free world.
“Putin’s attack was premeditated and unprovoked. He thought the West and NATO wouldn’t respond. He thought he could divide us here in our homes, in NATO and in Europe. He couldn’t,” the US president said.
During his speech, the US president also vowed to rebuild American infrastructure by building in America. He said that major American companies rather than going overseas to build factories are choosing to produce in America and referred to new factories that will be built by companies like Intel and Ford which will also generate new jobs.
Biden also announced that under the ‘test to treat’ initiative, Americans testing positive for Covid can access antiviral pills free of cost. “We’re launching the “Test to Treat” initiative, so people can get tested at a pharmacy and if they’re positive, receive antiviral pills on the spot at no cost,” Biden said.
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