WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE ALLIES AGAIN:

President Joe Biden on Tuesday banned imports of Russian oil, gas and coal in response to what he called President Vladimir Putin's "vicious war of choice" in Ukraine, but he warned Americans that the decision to inflict economic pain on Russia would inevitably mean higher gas prices at home.

"Defending freedom is going to cost," Biden said in televised remarks announcing the ban at the White House.

The president's move immediately shut off a relatively small flow of oil into the United States, but it was quickly followed by a British pledge to phase out imports of Russian oil by the end of the year and a declaration from the European Commission -- the executive arm of the European Union, which is heavily dependent on Russian oil and gas -- to make itself independent of that supply in the coming years.

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