President Biden at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on Tuesday.Credit…Doug Mills/The New York Times
Biden bans imports of Russian oil
President Biden banned imports of Russian oil, gas and coal to the U.S. in response to what he called a “vicious war of choice” in Ukraine by Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader. Biden 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,” he said in televised remarks.
The ban 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 E.U., which is heavily dependent on Russian oil and gas — that it would become independent of that supply in the coming years, moves that fell short of Biden’s immediate ban.
Major corporations around the world also began shutting down their operations in Russia yesterday. Shell, Europe’s largest oil company, said it would begin withdrawing from its involvement “in all Russian hydrocarbons,” and McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Pepsico and Starbucks announced that they would temporarily pause all operations in Russia.
Impact: Amid fears that the global supply of oil would shrink, the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. surged to $4.173, a new high and an average increase of about 72 cents from a month ago.
Quotable: “If we do not respond to Putin’s assault on global peace and stability today, the cost of freedom and to the American people will be even greater tomorrow,” Biden said. He vowed to “do everything I can to minimize Putin’s price hike here at home.”
Zelensky vows never to surrender
With Ukraine’s outgunned army holding firm despite Russian bombardments, the war has become a grim spectacle of resistance. No one is more defiant than Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who vowed in a dramatic video address to Britain’s House of Commons yesterday never to give in to Russia’s tanks, troops or artillery shells.
“We will fight till the end, at sea, in the air,” he said, with the blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flag draped behind him. “We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets.” He reiterated his plea for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, something NATO leaders have ruled out because they fear it could set off a wider military clash between the West and Russia.
Nearly two weeks into Russia’s war, it was becoming ever clearer that the Kremlin’s military planners had drastically miscalculated not only the grit of Ukrainian resistance, but also the calamitous economic consequences for Russia. For Ukrainians, however, the humanitarian disaster is intensifying by the hour, in the fastest-growing refugee crisis to afflict Europe since World War II.
On the ground: Photographers and videographers in and around Ukraine captured a resolute populace struggling with uncertainty and fear in the face of an invasion.
In other news from the war in Ukraine:
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William Burns, the C.I.A. director, told Congress he anticipated an “ugly next few weeks,” with Vladimir Putin trying to “grind down the Ukrainian military with no regard for civilian casualties.”
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With virtually all news media in Russia now under state control, the invasion of Ukraine can be called neither an “invasion” nor a “war.” Nearly every bit of reporting is sanitized to align with the Kremlin’s message.
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European militaries that once feared Russia said they were now less intimidated by its ground forces, but experts expect Russia to eventually subdue Ukraine’s army.
24 hours in a smugglers’ paradise in Afghanistan
In the desolate Nimruz Province of Afghanistan, which abuts Iran and Pakistan, smugglers have long dominated the economy, moving people, drugs and money across borders. Now, as hundreds of thousands of Afghans try to flee their Taliban-controlled homeland, business has flourished for the kingpins of the trade.
Reporters for The Times spent 24 hours with a leading smuggler, referred to only as H. because of the illegal nature of his business. His efforts to transport migrants into Iran showcased the frenetic atmosphere that has recently energized this southwest region of Afghanistan.
Fearing an influx of Afghans after the Taliban seized power, Iran bolstered its security forces at the border. The Taliban, too, have tried to shut down H.’s route, raiding safe houses and patrolling the desert. Still, smugglers are undeterred.
Quotable: “The Taliban cannot shut down our business,” H. said. “If they tighten security, we will just charge more and get more money. We’re always one step ahead.”
THE LATEST NEWS
Around the World
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South Koreans will elect their 20th president today amid wide voter discontent over issues like North Korea, bleak job opportunities and growing generational divides.
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Michelle Bachelet, the top U.N. human rights official, said that China would allow her to visit in May. Officials in her position have not visited China in 22 years.
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Venezuela released at least two imprisoned Americans, a potential turning point in the Biden administration’s relationship with Russia’s staunchest ally in the Western Hemisphere.
Virus News
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Moderna has chosen Kenya for its first vaccine factory in Africa.
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As the coronavirus pandemic enters its third year, a cluster of new studies shows that young children in the U.S. are far behind in reading.
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Here are the latest pandemic updates and maps.
Science Interlude
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Like modern-day cheetahs, ancient ocean creatures may have moved with an asymmetrical gallop, researchers have found.
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When researchers end their careers, where do their biological collections go?
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Meet Syllipsimopodi bideni, a 10-armed ancient octopus named for President Biden.
A Morning Read
A 459-foot mystery in a Tuscan port: As the European authorities go after the luxury assets of oligarchs close to Vladimir Putin, a $700 million superyacht cloaked in secrecy has come under investigation.
ARTS AND IDEAS
Returning the Benin Bronzes
The Smithsonian Institution plans to return most of its collection of 39 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, a sweeping move that would punctuate a monthslong institutional review of its collection practices and the ethics behind them.
The bronzes encompass a variety of artifacts including brass plaques, carved elephant tusks, ivory leopard statues and wooden heads. Some were stolen from what is now Nigeria during the British Army’s 1897 raid on the ancient kingdom of Benin, though it is not clear exactly how many.
The Smithsonian has legal title to the items, but it plans to give up ownership and ship the pieces to Nigeria at its own expense. Some may remain in or return to Washington on a long-term loan.
“We’ve long been entirely comfortable that if we had legal title to an object, then certainly we were entitled to keep it and care for it,” said Kevin Gover, the under secretary for museums and culture at the Smithsonian. But now, he added, “we’re going beyond legal title and asking, Should we own this, knowing the circumstances under which it came into our ownership?”
Read more about the repatriation of the Benin Bronzes.
PLAY, WATCH, EAT
What to Cook
Saffron with pistachio is a classic flavoring in South Asian, Iranian and other desserts, and for good reason.
What to Listen to
In the podcast “Know Your Enemy,” two “leftist bros” offer history lessons that middle-aged liberals, young socialists and even some conservatives can love.
Ask Well
If one strawberry is moldy, should you throw out the whole box?
Now Time to Play
Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Animal sound that’s rendered in French as “Miaou” and Japanese as “Nyan” (four letters).
Here’s today’s Wordle and the Spelling Bee.
You can find all our puzzles here.
That’s it for today’s briefing. Thanks for joining me. — Natasha
P.S. The Times is temporarily removing its journalists from Russia in the wake of new legislation that effectively outlaws independent reporting on the invasion of Ukraine.
The latest episode of “The Daily” is about Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine.
You can reach Natasha and the team at [email protected].
