Former President Barack Obama says Americans should be “willing” to pay higher prices that could stem from sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
In a lengthy statement on Thursday, Obama said, “Last night, Russia launched a brazen attack on the people of Ukraine, in violation of international law and basic principles of human decency. Russia did so not because Ukraine posed a threat to Russia, but because the people of Ukraine chose a path of sovereignty, self-determination, and democracy.”
“For exercising rights that should be available to all people and nations, Ukrainians now face a brutal onslaught that is killing innocents and displacing untold numbers of men, women, and children,” he continued.
The former president called on “people of conscience around the world” to “loudly and clearly condemn Russia’s actions.”
“Every American, regardless of party, should support President Biden’s efforts, in coordination with our closest allies, to impose hard-hitting sanctions on Russia — sanctions that impose a real price on Russia’s autocratic elite,” he continued.
Finally, Obama added, “There may be some economic consequences to such sanctions, given Russia’s significant role in the world energy markets. But that’s a price we should be willing to pay to take a stand on the side of freedom. For over the long term, we all face a choice, between a world in which might makes right, and autocrats are free to impose their will through force, or a world in which free people everywhere have the power to determine their own future.”
Read the statement below:
Last night, Russia launched a brazen attack on the people of Ukraine, in violation of international law and basic principles of human decency. Here’s my statement on what it means, and what should happen next. pic.twitter.com/Wa0C8XGwvK
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 24, 2022
President Joe Biden announced on Thursday new sanctions aimed at punishing Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Biden has previously warned that Americans could see higher prices, especially for gas, as IJR reported. However, he vowed to take steps to “alleviate pressure on our own energy markets and offset raising prices.”