One of the most effective ways the United States could respond to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s act of war in Ukraine is to sabotage and cut off Russia’s energy exports. Unfortunately, President Joe Biden has made this impossible.

Biden announced on Thursday that the U.S., joined by several other Western powers, will unleash sweeping sanctions against major Russian banks and oligarchs. Noticeably, Biden said nothing of sanctioning Russia’s oil and natural gas industry, which drives the Russian economy. He even admitted the sanctions package is “specifically designed to allow energy payments to continue.”