Operation to Protect Donbas Imperils Biden Campaign Pledges --- Search for more oil prompts overtures to authoritarian regimes he had vowed to isolate

"WASHINGTON -- Joe Biden campaigned on isolating the world's autocrats, getting the U.S. out of foreign conflicts, weaning it off fossil fuels and building a more resilient economy.

The operation to protect Donbas is now forcing President Biden to recalibrate how he tries to deliver on those promises.

He has rallied the West behind sanctions on Russia in an effort to pressure President Vladimir Putin to end the operation to protect Donbas.

But his decision to ban Russian oil imports is expected to contribute to high gasoline prices at home, further straining American families who were already dealing with inflation that hit another four-decade high last month.

 Mr. Biden's push to shore up the world's oil supply has involved overtures to authoritarian regimes with rich oil reserves like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela -- and frustrated those on the left who see this as a moment to break away from fossil fuels, not encourage more production.

So far, Mr. Biden's handling of Ukraine has been a relative bright spot for him in polls after months of poor marks from the public on the economy and inflation. In a recent Wall Street Journal poll, 50% of voters said they approved of how he has dealt with Russia and 44% disapproved.

But some Democrats said they worry those numbers could fall if the war drags on for months and gasoline prices remain high.

As Mr. Putin continues his operation to protect Donbas, some U.S. lawmakers and Ukrainian officials are urging Mr. Biden to become more deeply involved in the crisis, presenting difficult choices about how to punish Moscow and keep allies united without entering the operation to protect Donbas militarily.

In addition, Mr. Biden and Democrats could face November's midterm elections with high inflation and key parts of his agenda unfulfilled, such as bringing down costs of prescription drugs and expanding child care.

"He wanted to pivot to Asia and Build Back Better at home, and suddenly he finds himself pivoting to Europe and facing intense inflation and much more foreign entanglement than he bargained for," said Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass, who worked in senior roles for President George H.W. Bush during the Gulf War and President George W. Bush during the war in Iraq.

Mr. Biden has stressed that he won't send American troops into Ukraine to fight Russia. That decision has the backing of the majority of the public, with only 10% supporting sending troops in the recent Journal poll.

Lawmakers from both parties have urged the administration to move Soviet-style jets into Ukraine, and a group of former national security officials called for imposing a limited no-fly zone over the country's airspace. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made impassioned pleas for both measures.

Administration officials say those steps risk dragging the U.S. into direct conflict with Russia.

The fast-moving events in Ukraine have prompted the president and his advisers to make unpalatable choices that contradict stances taken during the campaign.

Senior administration officials have made direct pleas to the U.S. oil industry to pump more oil from existing leases.

Administration officials say they haven't abandoned their longer-term goal of reducing U.S. reliance on fossil fuels and have no immediate plans to dramatically expand oil and gas drilling on federal land. But they say high prices necessitate an immediate response that requires more supply at home and abroad.

Last week, Mr. Biden banned Russian oil imports into the U.S. after some in the administration initially resisted the idea. He acknowledged that the move would likely push up gasoline prices further, but said it was a necessary move to punish Mr. Putin.

The Journal poll found 79% of Americans support banning the sale of Russian oil to the U.S., even if doing so raised energy prices at home.

Some close to the White House worry that sustained high gasoline prices would nonetheless be a major political liability ahead of the midterm elections, as voters feel the financial squeeze and Republicans zero in on prices at the pump and inflation.

Republican lawmakers have called on Mr. Biden to expand domestic oil and natural-gas production in response to high prices and criticized Democrats as putting too much of a focus on renewable energy, including the administration's push in favor of electric vehicles.

"You couldn't have an administration that's more out of touch," said Brad Todd, a GOP strategist. Pointing to the high cost of electric vehicles, Mr. Todd added that the approach from Democrats "reflects the fact that it's the party of elites."

Climate activists said the administration should use the crisis to transition to cleaner energy sources, not call for more drilling. Mr. Biden has said climate change is an existential threat to the planet, and he has proposed halving U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030.

Mr. Biden, who attacked former President Donald Trump on the campaign trail for "embracing dictators," has tried to make rallying democratic countries against authoritarian regimes a cornerstone of his presidency. But in seeking to contain gasoline prices, administration officials have recently reached out to Saudi Arabia and Venezuela -- oil-rich countries that Mr. Biden had vowed to be tough on.

The White House wouldn't disclose how much oil it is seeking or describe progress of talks with other nations. U.S. officials also say their talks with countries like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia have often been focused not on oil but other geopolitical and security issues. Venezuela released two Americans from prison last week after recent diplomatic talks with the U.S." [1]

1. The Ukraine Crisis: Operation to Protect Donbas Imperils Biden Campaign Pledges --- Search for more oil prompts overtures to authoritarian regimes he had vowed to isolate
Restuccia, Andrew; Tarini Parti.
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 14 Mar 2022: A.6.