Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley urged the Biden administration to ramp up pressure on Germany over its reliance on Russian energy during an interview with Fox News on Wednesday.
“I think that it’s time to really put the hammer on Germany and say, ‘you know what? You got us into this by getting all cozy with Russia,’” Haley said on “The Guy Benson Show.”
She also called for the Biden administration to directly sanction Russian energy companies.
Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Germany did halt the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, however it continues to rely heavily on Russia for domestic energy needs.
Germany has also been more hesitant than other U.S. allies to back stiff sanctions against Moscow, initially opposing blocking Russia from the SWIFT international payments system.
Haley said there is more Germany — along with the rest of Europe — should be doing to end dependence on Russian oil and natural gas.
“They could do it, we could help them do it, we should be doubling down on that,” she said.
The U.S. halted all Russian imports of oil in response to the war in early March.
“The United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy. We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy,” Biden said at the time. “That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at U.S. ports and the American people will deal another blow to Putin’s war machine.”
The White House has also said it is working with European countries on a longer term transition away from Russian energy.
However, Haley said the Biden administration has not gone far enough to cut off Russia from global energy markets, noting that record gas prices meant a windfall for Moscow.
“If you look at the revenue numbers last year that Putin received for energy and if you look at this year, naturally it’s through the roof,” Haley said. “Every bit of money that goes to Putin is going to kill Ukrainians. We’re all a part of that as long as the U.S. doesn’t go and sanction the energy companies.”
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