Oil rose in price on Monday to its highest level since 2008, reaching almost $140 per barrel, after reports of a possible US ban on its imports from Russia, Interfax reports.
The United States, along with its allies in Europe, is «actively discussing» the possibility of not importing Russian oil, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in an interview with NBC.
Washington can go on an embargo without the participation of European allies, two Bloomberg sources said. At the same time, no decision has yet been made on this issue.
The House of Representatives of Congress is studying the possibility of developing a bill to ban the import of Russian oil, said Speaker of the Lower House Nancy Pelosi.
Russia accounts for roughly 3% of US oil imports, official US data show.
Against the background of statements from Washington, futures for Brent oil rose by 18% in early trading on Monday and at one point exceeded $139 per barrel. At 07:30 Moscow time, the price of contracts is about $129 per barrel.
Analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Believe that Brent could reach $185 per barrel by the end of the year if supply disruptions from Russia continue.
