Russian Oil Ban: What It Could Mean For Gas Prices In Maryland

MARYLAND — An announcement Tuesday that President Joe Biden plans to ban Russian oil imports in the United States could drive gas prices higher in Maryland, where they have already broken a record.

On Tuesday, the average gas price in Maryland was $4.192 for regular fuel, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic. It is $4.529 for mid-grade fuel, $4.790 for premium and $4.848 for diesel fuel, AAA reported.

"As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues, the price of crude oil continues to climb, as well, translating to more pain at the pump for American drivers," Ragina Cooper Ali, spokeswoman for AAA Mid-Atlantic, said in a statement. "Unfortunately for motorists, AAA expects the upward current trend to persist, as economic indicators continue to point to higher crude oil and gasoline prices for the remainder of winter and into the spring."

Related: MD Gas Prices Break Record At More Than $4 Per Gallon: AAA

Oil imports from Russia were a glaring exception in the massive sanctions the U.S. government imposed on Russia in response to its unprovoked attack on Ukraine. Biden’s announcement of the ban on Russian oil at 11:25 a.m. comes as the humanitarian catastrophe deepens in the country of 44.4 million.

The national average for gas topped $4 a gallon, the highest since the crippling 2008 recession, but analysts are skeptical the embargo on Russian oil exports will have a big effect, since that crude represents about 8 percent of the United States’ foreign oil, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Biden had been reluctant to ban the imports, which kept a steady influx of cash flowing to Russia at the same time other restrictions were placed on the country’s financial sector. Two weeks ago, he explained his reluctance to impose energy sanctions, saying he wanted “to limit the pain the American people are feeling at the gas pump.”

The United States is acting alone in putting an embargo on Russian oil exports, but is in close consultation with European allies, who depend on Russia for one-third of its consumption of fossil fuels. The United States does not import natural gas from Russia.

» Read more from The Associated Press on Across America Patch.

Patch editor Beth Dalbey contributed to this report.