US in ‘very active discussion’ with allies to ban import of Russian oil

Secretary of state says Biden has convened a meeting of his National Security Council on the subject

• Blinken vows to escalate sanctions on Russia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the US and its allies are engaged in a very active discussion" about banning the import of Russian oil and natural gas in a new escalation of sanctions in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.

The US and western allies have until now held off on current energy supplies from Russia, in order to avoid blowback on their own economies, where inflation is already making prices of gasoline and other goods a problem.