A funny thing happened in Joe Biden's first State of the Union address.  Biden extolled the courage of the Ukrainian people, saying their fight against Russia "inspires the world."  He censured Russia's invasion of Ukraine, boasting of the many sanctions the United States would impose upon Russia.  He spoke scornfully about Vladimir Putin, giving the impression that he stands with the people of Ukraine against a Russian dictator bent on destroying their country.

Here's the funny part, or perhaps ironical is the more appropriate word.  At a time when Russia's economy is reeling from international sanctions, the United States is buying 650,000 barrels of oil a day.

It's hard to take Biden seriously about standing with Ukraine when the United States is helping to prop up the Russian economy.  I thought we were supposed to be sanctioning the Russians to make them get out of Ukraine, not paying for the Russian war on Ukraine.

I am not the only person confused by the administration's stance.  Jonathan Karl of ABC News said it was "extraordinary" that Biden was sanctioning everything from Russia except the one thing that is keeping its economy going.  Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie quoted the late John McCain, who "used to say that Russia was a gas station masquerading as a country."  Even Nancy Pelosi said she was in favor of banning Russian oil.

In 2018, the United States led Russia and Saudi Arabia in the production of petroleum and natural gas.  In 2022, gas prices are the highest they've been since 2008.

I don't pretend to be an energy expert or to be able to speak knowledgeably on the complex subject of international finance.  I can only say that since Russia invaded Ukraine, I have seen gas prices going up day by day.  It's very hard to hear the president of the United States say that he stands with Ukraine while my fellow Americans and I are shelling out our hard earned money for administrative policies that are helping to pay for the war on Ukraine.

Image: Internet meme.  Source unknown.

Pandra Selivanov is the author of Future Slave, a story about a 21st-century black teenager who goes back in time and becomes a slave in the Old South.