Previewing the trip, Sullivan made clear that the president was not going to push the issue, sensitive to the fact that the implications for Germany and other European states are far more severe than for the US, which imported a very small amount of Russian oil.
“There’s a lot more room to ratchet up sanctions if the United States and Europe decide to do so,” Edward Fishman, a former senior state department official focused on sanctions, said. “We’re at about a seven or eight out of 10 in intensity. We’re definitely not a 10 out of 10.” Biden will make an announcement on Friday morning, before leaving Brussels for Poland, on a long term initiative to reduce European dependence on Russian oil and gas, the national security adviser said.
It is also possible more Russian banks and state enterprises will be added to a blacklist, which would cut them off from using the Belgium-based Swift financial messaging system.