WASHINGTON, D.C— As the war in Iran shifts American military focus to the Middle East and raises oil prices, members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services question the potential impact on the war in Ukraine.
Since the war began two weeks ago, the U.S. has lifted sanctions on Russian oil exports to India and other countries as it redirects shipments of defense weapons from Ukraine to the Gulf Region, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I. ) said.
“There is a clear winner in this war [with Iran],” Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) said. “The clear winner is Vladimir Putin in Russia.”
Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, the commander of the United States European Command and a top NATO commander, testified during the committee’s hearing that despite four years of this conflict, Russia’s war investments have continued.
“The Russian war economy is in high gear,” Grynkewich said. “In terms of missile production and [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles] production, my assessment is that they have the capacity… to continue with high levels of production. As far as their personnel are concerned, to date, they have been able to replenish the tremendous battlefield losses that they can take on a month to month basis.”
Grynkewich made no suggestion during the public hearing as to whether or not the U.S. should escalate activity in Ukraine in light of Russia’s new economic gain.
“There are always global trade-offs to the amount of security assistance that we can provide,” he said. “So ultimately, it’s a policy question on what the level of support should be.”
Grynkewich said the State Department and President Donald Trump were closely monitoring the situation.
“The price of oil and gas has gone up,” Grynkewich said. “We know that Putin does depend on that. I think how much he benefits from it depends on how long those prices remain elevated.”
In the last month, the national average price of a gallon of gas in the U.S. has risen from $2.94 to nearly $3.60, according to the American Automobile Association.
President Trump said in a Truth Social post Thursday that high oil prices are good for the country, but that his ultimate focus is the war with Iran.
“The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money. BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping (sic) an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World. I won’t ever let that happen!” Trump wrote in the post.