SpaceX founder and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called for an urgent increase in oil and gas output as Russian companies face sanctions over the Ukraine war. Elon Musk, co-founder of an electric vehicle and clean energy company, said that the move would “negatively affect” Tesla but acknowledged that sustainable energy solutions cannot instantaneously make up for Russian oil and gas exports.

In a tweet, Musk said, “Hate to say it, but we need to increase oil & gas output immediately. Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures.”

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“Obviously, this would negatively affect Tesla, but sustainable energy solutions simply cannot react instantaneously to make up for Russian oil & gas exports,” he added.

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On Friday, the price of crude oil continued its surge as it ended the week on multi-year highs after oil buyers shunned imports from Russia, the world’s second-largest exporter of crude after Saudi Arabia. While Canada banned imports of Russian oil earlier this week, UK foreign minister said that Britain will look to target Russia’s energy industry in a future round of sanctions.

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The Biden administration has also been under pressure from both Democrats and Republicans to impose tougher sanctions on Russia as Moscow wages war in Ukraine. A Reuters/Ipsos poll suggests that most Americans are in favour of banning Russian oil imports.