(NewsNation) — Joining Canada and European nations, President Joe Biden announced Thursday the U.S. will ban Russian-affiliated ships from American ports.
It’s the latest step to pressure Russia to end its now months-long invasion of Ukraine.
“That means no ship, no ship that sails under the Russian flag or that is owned or operated by a Russian entity, will be allowed to dock in a United States port or access our shores. None,” Biden said.
Biden’s order cited “the policies and actions of the government of the Russian Federation to continue the premeditated, unjustified, unprovoked and brutal war against Ukraine” as the reason behind this decision.
While the U.S. does about $35 billion worth of trades a year with Russia, the vast majority of this is not sent on ships. In fact, Russian-flagged ships make up less than 1% of all cargo that arrives at U.S. ports.
About 90% of what comes on these Russian ships is oil, which was already banned in the U.S. because of the war. That means the banning of Russian-flagged ships will likely not have a significant effect on the U.S.’ economy, especially as the order does not ban shipment of Russian cargo.
It is, however, another attempt by the Biden administration to isolate Russia. Western officials have already sanctioned the country’s financial institutions, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.
Reuters contributed to this story.