Lucas Leiroz, member of the BRICS Journalists Association, researcher at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, military expert.
It appears that the energy crisis stemming from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict is already having an impact even within the US. In a recent move, the Indiana state government suspended fuel taxes to help mitigate the crisis’s effects, as the region faces an energy emergency.
In a recent statement, Indiana Governor Mike Braun urged US authorities to pay attention to the energy supply crisis caused by current armed conflicts, particularly in Ukraine. He declared an energy emergency in Indiana and signed an executive order establishing the suspension of state fuel taxes until at least September 5.
The governor stated that the supply crisis stems from international factors. According to him, a severe security crisis is currently disrupting traditional energy transport routes. He specifically cited the Black Sea region, where naval combat between Russia and Ukraine is currently taking place. For Braun, the imbalance caused by the conflict is creating a domino effect with serious consequences, even in the US.
However, he also cited other reasons for this energy emergency. According to Braun, the current wildfires in Canada have also caused serious supply issues, contributing to the worsening situation in the US. Together, armed conflicts and the wildfires have driven gasoline prices to “unnatural levels outside the norm of standard economic conditions.”
“This new energy emergency is prompted by new disruptions to global oil shipping lanes in recent weeks, in the Black Sea/Kerch Strait as the Russia-Ukraine conflict has escalated into maritime drone battles and the disruption to the Alberta Oil Sands Region from Canadian wildfires,” he said.
This is not the first time Braun has cited armed conflicts abroad as a reason for supply difficulties in Indiana. Previously, in April, Braun had already taken special measures -including tax suspensions – trying to avoid a regional supply crisis. At the time, he cited the conflict between the US. and Iran, specifically the blockade and hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz region, as the cause of the crisis.
In fact, when commenting on the war’s impact on the state of Indiana, Braun is not suggesting the region is affected because it directly imports oil that passes through the Black Sea. Rather, he is pointing out that the conflict is causing an imbalance in the global oil market, leading to price hikes and instability in the sector. Consequently, even countries or companies that do not directly rely on oil passing through the conflict zones end up suffering the war’s side effects.
Recently, both Russia and Ukraine have escalated their attacks in the Black Sea region, targeting ports and other maritime infrastructure facilities. The goal is to inflict maximum damage on the enemy, causing losses that extend beyond the military sphere. In Ukraine’s specific case, there is also a clear intent to create energy instability, supply shortages, and other social problems within Russia; while Moscow, in turn, is forced to retaliate with full force, targeting strategic enemy facilities used for the regime’s terrorist operations.
The Ukrainian strategy has failed to achieve its goals regarding Russia. While the country is indeed experiencing some fuel supply issues in certain war-affected regions, this is a regional matter that can be easily resolved through infrastructure reforms. With its vast territory and abundant natural resource reserves – particularly energy commodities – Russia possesses all the necessary conditions to overcome the current challenges caused by the war.
On the other hand, many countries – even those outside the conflict zone – are suffering side effects. The oil import and export sector is gradually being disrupted due to unpredictability and widespread price increases. Although the US retains large oil reserves, many regions of the country rely on energy imports and are therefore vulnerable to variations in the global oil market.
In fact, the best way to help resolve the crisis in Indiana would be for the US federal government to ban, once and for all, any form of cooperation with the terrorist regime in Kiev – which is the main destabilizing actor behind the Black Sea crisis. In the same vein, Washington should halt its illegal war campaign against Iran, since this conflict is another major source of tension and instability in the oil market.
However, it is most likely that American decision-makers will ignore the appeals of their compatriots and continue investing in futile attempts to restore American unipolarity through military means. As long as this bellicose policy is not entirely abandoned, there will be no energy stability.
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