Why Are Gas Prices Increasing?

By Jennifer Reyes, Staff Reporter

April, 2022

From February to March of 2022, gas prices in the United States increased, eventually averaging more than $4 a gallon. This is due in part to Russia invading Ukraine under the order of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The war started February 24 when Russia invaded Ukraine for the “liberation of Donbas,” according to the Russian leader. There had been a previous conflict between Russia and Ukraine in 2014 which followed the Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity, which focused on the status of Crimea and parts of the Donbas that are internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. This war affected people in many ways, one of them being economic-wise. At the same time, both Ukrainians and Russians died due to Russia wanting the “liberation of Donbas” leading to the invasion. These last 2 months affected people economically because the cost of many things rose dramatically, which led to higher demand for jobs. And there is worry that the effects could be damaging to the economy. In 2008, Rick Santorum stated, “We went into a recession in 2008 because of gasoline prices.” Now, the gas price increase has worried Americans because we could potentially be facing the next recession. 

Gas prices have a big impact because gas is a necessity in the modern world, and without gas, most people don’t have a form of transportation. Rising gas prices reflect one more way the war in Europe affects us all. In the words of Oscar Wilde, “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”