Gas prices today: How much is gas in my state? How does it compare?

How much is gas in my state? How does it compare nationwide?

The cost for a gallon of gas in the United States continues to reach all-time highs, as the national average jumped nearly 7 cents Thursday morning.

The nationwide average for regular gas is now $4.32 a gallon, according to AAA. On Wednesday, the cost was $4.25, once again eclipsing the previous all-time record of $4.11 set in July 2008. When adjusted for inflation, that would be around $5.25 today.

Diesel prices are also at record highs, with the average cost at $5.06 a gallon, up nearly 18 cents from Wednesday's average of $4.88. Thursday is the first time diesel has ever been over $5. Before this week, the previous record of $4.84 was also in July 2008, which would be around $6.19 in today's dollars.

(How much are you paying for gas? How is it affecting you and your budget? Share your thoughts with USA TODAY on the form below or use this form if you have photos of your local gas station's prices to share for possible inclusion in future stories, photo galleries and social media posts.)

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Highest gas prices in California

California continues to have the most expensive gas in the country at $5.69, and remains the only state to average over $5. California also became the first state to average over $6 for a gallon of diesel at $6.21.

Gas still under $4 a gallon in 12 states

As of Thursday, only 12 states have averages under $4, most of which are located in the Midwest. Kansas has the cheapest cost for gas at $3.82.

Why are gas prices so high?

Russia's invasion of Ukraine remains a large factor behind rising prices, as sanctions put on Russia include the country's selling of crude oil, which is one of the biggest factors in determining gas prices. Russian crude oil only accounts for 3% of U.S. imports, but it has a pivotal role because it produces crude oil that is valuable to U.S. refineries.

President Joe Biden's decision to ban the U.S. import of all Russian energy products on Tuesday is expected to result in prices continuing to climb.

"Oil prices play a leading role in pushing gas prices higher. Consumers can expect the current trend at the pump to continue as long as crude prices climb," AAA said on Monday.

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GAS QUESTIONS: Why are gas prices rising so quickly? And how high are they expected to get?

When will gas prices go down?

It is unknown when prices will drop, but there is some hope as the cost for oil dropped. As of Wednesday night, U.S. crude oil costs $111.05 a barrel, nearly $15 less than Tuesday, according to Bloomberg. Brent crude, the international standard, costs $111.14 a barrel, $19 less than Tuesday.

"It doesn't mean lower prices YET- it means a slowdown in the increases. stations won't have to go up quite as much," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at fuel-savings app GasBuddy, said in a tweet on Wednesday.

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Average gas prices per state

Wondering how much gas costs in your state? Here is how much it is across the country by fuel type:

Alabama gas prices

Regular: $4.13

Mid-grade: $4.413

Premium: $4.755

Diesel: $5.024

Alaska gas prices

Regular: $4.68

Mid-grade: $4.791

Premium: $4.984

Diesel: $4.933

Arizona gas prices

Regular: $4.548

Mid-grade: $4.768

Premium: $5.033

Diesel: $5.024

Arkansas gas prices

Regular: $3.901

Mid-grade: $4.176

Premium: $4.47

Diesel: $4.774

California gas prices

Regular: $5.694

Mid-grade: $5.834

Premium: $5.976

Diesel: $6.212

Colorado gas prices

Regular: $3.953

Mid-grade: $4.269

Premium: $4.558

Diesel: $4.565

Connecticut gas prices

Regular: $4.475

Mid-grade: $4.714

Premium: $4.931

Diesel: $5.219

DC gas prices

Regular: $4.50

Mid-grade: $4.864

Premium: $5.056

Diesel: $5.09

Delaware gas prices

Regular: $4.285

Mid-grade: $4.594

Premium: $4.829

Diesel: $5.103

Florida gas prices

Regular: $4.346

Mid-grade: $4.644

Premium: $4.959

Diesel: $5.052

Georgia gas prices

Regular: $4.269

Mid-grade: $4.561

Premium: $4.9

Diesel: $5.091

Hawaii gas prices

Regular: $4.81

Mid-grade: $5.003

Premium: $5.268

Diesel: $5.083

Idaho gas prices

Regular: $4.296

Mid-grade: $4.448

Premium: $4.654

Diesel: $4.877

Illinois gas prices

Regular: $4.57

Mid-grade: $4.901

Premium: $5.292

Diesel: $4.886

Indiana gas prices

Regular: $4.256

Mid-grade: $4.557

Premium: $4.869

Diesel: $4.939

Iowa gas prices

Regular: $3.921

Mid-grade: $4.044

Premium: $4.474

Diesel: $4.734

Kansas gas prices

Regular: $3.817

Mid-grade: $4.076

Premium: $4.318

Diesel: $4.606

Kentucky gas prices

Regular: $4.042

Mid-grade: $4.334

Premium: $4.641

Diesel: $4.892

Louisiana gas prices

Regular: $4.132

Mid-grade: $4.405

Premium: $4.721

Diesel: $4.917

Maine gas prices

Regular: $4.319

Mid-grade: $4.571

Premium: $4.827

Diesel: $5.22

Maryland gas prices

Regular: $4.302

Mid-grade: $4.649

Premium: $4.913

Diesel: $5.187

Massachusetts gas prices

Regular: $4.354

Mid-grade: $4.60

Premium: $4.828

Diesel: $5.135

Michigan gas prices

Regular: $4.261

Mid-grade: $4.541

Premium: $4.876

Diesel: $4.915

Minnesota gas prices

Regular: $3.954

Mid-grade: $4.145

Premium: $4.483

Diesel: $4.765

Mississippi gas prices

Regular: $3.997

Mid-grade: $4.254

Premium: $4.581

Diesel: $4.876

Missouri gas prices

Regular: $3.85

Mid-grade: $4.083

Premium: $4.356

Diesel: $4.648

Montana gas prices

Regular: $4.002

Mid-grade: $4.242

Premium: $4.507

Diesel: $4.702

Nebraska gas prices

Regular: $3.917

Mid-grade: $3.999

Premium: $4.375

Diesel: $4.659

Nevada gas prices

Regular: $4.872

Mid-grade: $5.054

Premium: $5.247

Diesel: $5.16

New Hampshire gas prices

Regular: $4.29

Mid-grade: $4.56

Premium: $4.824

Diesel: $5.186

New Jersey gas prices

Regular: $4.379

Mid-grade: $4.657

Premium: $4.848

Diesel: $5.222

New Mexico gas prices

Regular: $4.179

Mid-grade: $4.462

Premium: $4.732

Diesel: $4.961

New York gas prices

Regular: $4.466

Mid-grade: $4.722

Premium: $4.957

Diesel: $5.275

North Carolina gas prices

Regular: $4.181

Mid-grade: $4.486

Premium: $4.825

Diesel: $5.079

North Dakota gas prices

Regular: $3.89

Mid-grade: $4.113

Premium: $4.347

Diesel: $4.609

Ohio gas prices

Regular: $4.091

Mid-grade: $4.378

Premium: $4.716

Diesel: $4.967

Oklahoma gas prices

Regular: $3.852

Mid-grade: $4.111

Premium: $4.342

Diesel: $4.677

Oregon gas prices

Regular: $4.722

Mid-grade: $4.872

Premium: $5.079

Diesel: $5.291

Pennsylvania gas prices

Regular: $4.436

Mid-grade: $4.728

Premium: $5.007

Diesel: $5.397

Rhode Island gas prices

Regular: $4.352

Mid-grade: $4.638

Premium: $4.881

Diesel: $5.111

South Carolina gas prices

Regular: $4.076

Mid-grade: $4.38

Premium: $4.708

Diesel: $5.004

South Dakota gas prices

Regular: $3.946

Mid-grade: $4.068

Premium: $4.418

Diesel: $4.601

Tennessee gas prices

Regular: $4.112

Mid-grade: $4.414

Premium: $4.757

Diesel: $5.03

Texas gas prices

Regular: $4.004

Mid-grade: $4.288

Premium: $4.59

Diesel: $4.888

Utah gas prices

Regular: $4.304

Mid-grade: $4.467

Premium: $4.652

Diesel: $4.922

Vermont gas prices

Regular: $4.311

Mid-grade: $4.528

Premium: $4.751

Diesel: $5.14

Virginia gas prices

Regular: $4.241

Mid-grade: $4.578

Premium: $4.896

Diesel: $5.06

Washington gas prices

Regular: $4.707

Mid-grade: $4.868

Premium: $5.057

Diesel: $5.274

West Virginia gas prices

Regular: $4.118

Mid-grade: $4.367

Premium: $4.657

Diesel: $5.022

Wisconsin gas prices

Regular: $4.038

Mid-grade: $4.326

Premium: $4.74

Diesel: $4.751

Wyoming gas prices

Regular: $3.987

Mid-grade: $4.192

Premium: $4.436

Diesel: $4.683

Follow USA TODAY reporters Jordan Mendoza and Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5 and @KellyTyko.

High gas prices affecting you? Share your thoughts and photos with USA TODAY

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Gas prices are most expensive they have ever been in US history

After rising dramatically following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the price of gas reached a record, topping a high that had stood for nearly 14 years.

As of Tuesday morning, the average national price for a gallon of regular gasoline touched $4.17, according to AAA, the highest price ever, not accounting for inflation. That was up from $4.07 on Monday and $3.61 a week earlier.

The previous high was $4.11 on July 17, 2008, according to AAA. That would come to around $5.25 today when adjusted for inflation.

The cost for diesel is nearing the record of $4.84, also set in July 2008. The price for a gallon of diesel is $4.75, more than double what it was in October 2020.

PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE: Latest update shows another record set on March 9

One of the main components of the rising costs is the invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces. Tom Kloza, chief global analyst for the Oil Price Information Service, told USA TODAY that Russia is the second-largest oil producer in the world, behind the United States.

Your questions answered: Why are gas prices rising so quickly? How high are they expected to get?

'Be prepared for months of high prices': How to save money as gas prices smash records

For subscribers: Are oil and gas companies price gouging consumers at the pump?

The Associated Press reported a barrel of U.S. crude oil cost $119.40 per barrel, and Brent crude, the international standard, cost $123.21 per barrel on Monday.

Gas prices are likely to keep rising. The fuel-savings app GasBuddy projects prices will probably average $4.25 in May and stay over $4 until November.

“Americans have never seen gasoline prices this high, nor have we seen the pace of increases so fast and furious. That combination makes this situation all the more remarkable and intense, with crippling sanctions on Russia curbing their flow of oil, leading to the massive spike in the price of all fuels: gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and more," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a statement Monday.

De Haan said in a tweet Sunday the chances of a $5 nationwide average are "somewhat remote" but remain a small possibility.

Most expensive gas in the USA

As is historically the case, California has the most expensive prices in the country, averaging $5.44 a gallon as of Tuesday. The Golden State is the only one to average more than $5 a gallon.

The most expensive county for gas is Mono County, which borders Nevada and includes the tourist destination Mammoth Mountain. The average price is $6.02.

Some gas locations reported prices about $2 over the state average. Stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco sell regular gas for more than $6 per gallon, some reaching nearly $7. In the city of Gorda, about 140 miles south of San Francisco on the coast, one station charged $7.59, KSBW reported.

As of Tuesday morning, 28 states have average prices over $4. Only five states – South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas – averaged less than $3.80. The cheapest state to get gas is Oklahoma at $3.71.

Here are the most expensive average costs of gas per gallon in the country, per AAA:

California ($5.44)

Hawaii ($4.71)

Nevada ($4.67)

Oregon ($4.58)

Washington ($4.54)

Alaska ($4.50)

Illinois ($4.42)

New York ($4.36)

Connecticut ($4.35)

Pennsylvania ($4.31)

Contributing: Mike Snider, Brett Molina

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

Average US gas price hits $5 for first time | CNN Business

New York (CNN Business) For the first time ever, a gallon of regular gas now costs $5 on average nationwide, according to AAA's Saturday reading.

The record is hardly a surprise. Gas prices have been rising steadily for the last eight weeks, and this latest milestone marks the 15th straight day that the AAA reading has hit a record price, and the 32nd time in the last 33 days.

The national average stood at $4.07 when the current run of price increases began April 15. The current price reading from OPIS represents 23% increase in less than two months.

And the rising gasoline prices is doing more than just causing pain at the pump for drivers. They are a major factor in the prices paid by consumers for a full range of goods and services rising at the fastest pace in 40 years, according to the government's inflation report Friday.

Inflation caused consumer confidence to hit a record low on Friday, according to a survey by the University of Michigan. Worries about what the Federal Reserve will do to battle inflation has sent US stocks plunging in recent months, wiping out billions in household wealth.

While a $5 national average is new, $5 gas has become unpleasantly common in much of the country.

Data from OPIS, which collects the readings from 130,000 US gas stations used to compile the AAA averages, showed that 32% of stations nationwide, nearly one of every three, were already were charging more than $5 a gallon in readings Friday. And about 10% of stations across the nation are charging more than $5.75 a gallon.

The statewide average was $5 a gallon or more in 21 states plus Washington DC in Saturday's reading.

$6 gas could be next

And gas prices are unlikely to stop there. With the summer travel season getting underway, demand for gasoline, coupled with Russian oil shipments cut off due to the war in Ukraine, oil prices are soaring on global markets.

The US national average for gasoline could be close to $6 later this summer, according to Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis for the OPIS.

"Anything goes from June 20 to Labor Day," Kloza said earlier this week about the demand for gas as people hit the road for long-anticipated getaways. "Come hell or high gas prices, people are going to take vacations."

The highest statewide average has long been in California, where the average stood at $6.43 a gallon in Saturday's readings. But the pain of higher prices is being felt across the country, not just in California or other high-priced states.

Cheap gas hard to find

That's partly because the cheapest price wasn't all that cheap — the $4.47 a gallon average price in Georgia gives it the cheapest statewide average. Less than 300 gas stations out of 130,000 nationwide were charging $4.25 a gallon or less in Friday's reading from OPIS. For purposes of comparison, before the run-up in prices earlier this year, the record national average for gas had been $4.11, set in July 2008.

And even in some states with cheaper gas prices, such as Mississippi, lower average wages mean that drivers there have to work more hours to earn the money needed to fill their tank than drivers in some of the higher priced gas states, such as Washington.

There are some early signs that people are starting to cut back on their driving in the face of the higher prices, but it's still a modest decline.

The number of gallons pumped at stations in the last week of May was down about 5% from the same week a year ago, according to OPIS, even though gas prices have risen more than 50% since then. The number of US trips by car has slipped about 5% since early May, according to mobility research firm Inrix, although those trips are still up about 5% since the start of the year.

The chief concern is that consumers will cut back on other spending to keep driving which could push an economy already showing signs of weakness into recession.

Numerous reasons for record prices

Beyond the strong demand for gasoline, there is also a supply problem that's driving up the price of both oil and gasoline. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the sanctions on Russia imposed in the United States and Europe since then is a major factor, since Russia was among the world's leading oil exporters. But it is only part of the cause.

Oil is a commodity traded on global markets. The United States has never imported significant amounts of oil from Russia, but Europe has traditionally been dependent on Russian exports. The EU's recent decision to ban oil tanker shipments from Russia sent oil prices soaring globally.

The price of a barrel of crude closed above $120 a barrel Friday, up from just less than $100 a month ago. Goldman Sachs recently predicted the average price for a barrel of Brent crude, the benchmark used for oil traded in Europe, will be $140 a barrel between July and September, up from its prior call of $125 a barrel.

Other factors beyond Russia's withdrawal from the global market are limiting supply. OPEC and its allies have sharply cut back oil production as demand for oil crashed in the early months of the pandemic, as much of the world's businesses shut down and people stayed close to home. Global oil futures briefly traded in negative territory due to lack of space to store the glut of oil. Some oil producing nations slashed production in an effort to support prices, and some of that production is back online but not all of it.

US oil production and refining capacity also have not fully recovered to the pre-pandemic levels. And because prices are even higher in Europe, some US and Canadian refineries that would normally supply the US market with gas are exporting gasoline to Europe.

ExxonMobi XOM Many oil companies have been slow to increase production, despite the high price that the oil could fetch, instead using those soaring profits to buy back their own stock in an effort to raise their share price.has announced it intends to repurchase $30 billion of its stock, more than its total capital spending budget for the year.

-- CNN's Matt Egan and Michelle Watson contributed to this report.

National average price of gas tops $4 a gallon

The national average price for gas has topped $4 a gallon for the first time in over a decade as gas costs continue to soar in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

As of Sunday afternoon, the national average of a regular gallon of gas was $4.009, according to AAA. That's up 8 cents from Saturday and up 40 cents from last week. The U.S. hit the $4 national average a day earlier than analysts expected.

The record high for the national average is $4.11, set on July 17, 2008, according to AAA.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at fuel-savings app GasBuddy, said in a tweet Sunday the national average could reach up to $4.10 by Tuesday, adding to the possibility the record could be broken by the end of the week.

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GasBuddy's 2022 gasoline forecast predicts the average price of gas will reach $4.25 by May and will remain over $4 likely until November.

"GasBuddy expects that gasoline prices will continue to rise in the days ahead, and could be just days away from setting a new all-time record high and continuing to rise through summer," the company said.

The average cost is also the highest since May 2011, when it was $3.90, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The rising cost of gas in recent weeks comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has applied pressure on global oil markets. The lifting of coronavirus mask mandates throughout the U.S. could also be a factor as consumer spending and travel ramp up.

"American and (European Union) sanctions are having a severe impact on Russia's ability to sell crude oil, thus crude prices have skyrocketed," De Haan told USA TODAY.

Most expensive gas in the U.S.

California continues to shatter its record of highest gas prices and the most expensive gas prices in the country, averaging $5.28 per gallon in the Golden State. California is the only state with an average cost over $5.

In Mono County, which borders Nevada and home of popular tourist destination Mammoth Mountain, the average price of gas is $5.95. But other places are seeing higher cost; A gas station in Los Angeles had prices at $6.99 per gallon. The cheapest average cost of gas is in Missouri and Oklahoma at $3.60.

Here are the most expensive average costs of gas per gallon in the country, per AAA:

California ($5.28)

Hawaii ($4.69)

Nevada ($4.52)

Oregon ($4.46)

Washington ($4.40)

Alaska ($4.36)

Illinois ($4.26)

Connecticut ($4.21)

New York ($4.20)

Pennsylvania ($4.17)

Contributing: Mike Snider

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

Gas prices keep going up. How expensive is a gallon expected to get?

The national average cost for a regular gallon of gas may reach an all-time high this week.

The higher prices at the pump can be attributed to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Gas prices are expected to continue to rise, with the national average over $4 for much of 2022.

As national averages for a gallon of regular gas and diesel broke records in the United States this week, many are wondering how long the surge may continue and when prices at the pump will finally drop.

The dramatic rise in cost has sent drivers into a frenzy; Gasbuddy, the popular fuel-savings app that gives users the cost of gas in their area, had its online services go down temporarily on Monday because of record-breaking traffic as people look for the cheapest place to fill up their tanks.

As of Wednesday morning, the average cost for a gallon of gas in the country was $4.25, according to AAA. The price is up about 8 cents from Tuesday and more than 60 cents from last week.

Costs are expected to continue to rise throughout the year.

Here is what we know about gas prices and what to expect next:

National average:Gas prices are high and up another 7 cents nationwide. Here is the average price in each state.

For subscribers: Are oil and gas companies price gouging consumers at the pump?

Why are gas prices rising?

There are a few factors contributing to the increase, but the main reasons are the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rise of inflation.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, told USA TODAY last week that sanctions put on Russia by the U.S. and European Union severely hindered Russia's ability to sell crude oil, one of the biggest determiners for gas prices. Because the country is one of the biggest energy suppliers, crude oil prices have dramatically risen.

The cost for a barrel of crude oil had ups and downs on Monday. A barrel of U.S. crude oil settled at $119.40 a barrel, up 3.2%, after earlier touching $130.50. Brent crude, the international standard, settled at $123.21 a barrel, up 4.3%, after earlier topping $139, The Associated Press reported.

The U.S. imported about 209,000 barrels per day of crude oil in 2021, according to the White House.

While that is only 3% of the import market in the U.S., Russia plays a big role because it produces "heavier, sour crude," Ramanan Krishnamoorti, a professor at the University of Houston, said. He added Russian crude is needed because U.S. refineries are not designed to use 100% of the light, sweet crude it produces.

Another contributing factor De Haan mentioned is the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions across the country. With mandates lifted or softened, people will be out more, coinciding with the typical rise of gas costs as summer approaches.

AAA also said Monday that the increase in gas demand and a reduction in total supply contribute to rising pump prices.

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How long will gas prices be this high? How high will gas prices get?

Gasbuddy projects the worst is yet to come when looking at average prices.

GasBuddy's 2022 gasoline forecast predicts the average cost of a gallon of gas will peak in May at $4.25, a price point already realized as of Wednesday morning.

Even as prices are expected to decline after May, the average is expected to remain over $4 until November. The average for 2022 is expected to be $3.99. De Haan told CNN on Tuesday the national average could reach $5 a gallon due to the situation in Ukraine.

"It’s a dire situation and won’t improve any time soon. The high prices are likely to stick around for not days or weeks, like they did in 2008, but months. GasBuddy now expects the yearly national average to rise to its highest ever recorded," De Haan said in a news release Monday.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced a ban on the U.S. import of all Russian energy products, including the purchases of Russian crude oil, certain petroleum products, liquefied natural gas and coal. Experts say the decision will contribute to the cost increase.

"In the short term, you're going to see prices definitely go up," energy expert Gianna Bern said. "How much, it remains to be seen, and where and how the void gets filled."

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Where is gas the most and least expensive?

Gas remains the most expensive in California, with the average cost at $5.57, the only state with an average above $5.

The most expensive county in the state is Mono County, which borders Nevada. The average cost in the county is $6.14. Stations across the state are seeing prices above $6, including a Shell gas station in Los Angeles, which had regular gas costing $6.99 a gallon.

As of Wednesday, only 15 states are averaging under $4 a gallon, primarily in the Gulf Coast and Midwest.

The states with the cheapest gas are Kansas and Oklahoma, each averaging $3.79 a gallon.

Contributing: Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY; USA TODAY staff reports; The Associated Press

Gas prices: Ukraine-Russia war drives fuel to $5 per gallon or more

Get ready to pay even more at the pump – perhaps as much as $5 per gallon or more.

Some consumers are already paying more than that: The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in San Francisco hit the $5 mark Thursday. That's the first time a U.S. city has hit an average that high, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at fuel-savings app GasBuddy.

But the entire state of California will likely hit that mark in the next week or two, and major cities nationwide will likely follow suit, De Haan told USA TODAY. "Some large cities could hit $5/gal but not yet immediately," he said.

Gas prices topping $4 per gallon by Memorial Day had been predicted prior to Russia's attack on Ukraine.

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Highest gas prices in the US

Since Monday, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by 11 cents to $3.72, according to AAA. Prices averaged $3.54 a week ago and $3.41 a month ago, the organization said.

California is the most expensive market in the U.S., averaging $4.94 per gallon, AAA said, followed by Hawaii ($4.63), Oregon ($4.16), Nevada ($4.13), Washington ($4.11), Alaska ($4.03), Illinois ($4.02), New York ($3.93), Pennsylvania ($3.88), and Connecticut, ($3.85)

The rise in gas prices nationally is primarily due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict "and the fact that American and (European Union) sanctions are having a severe impact on Russia's ability to sell crude oil, thus crude prices have skyrocketed," said De Haan of Gas Buddy. The tech company's app provides real-time gas price information for more than 150,000 stations nationwide.

DO WE RUN ON RUSSIAN OIL? How much oil does the US buy from Russia?

OPEC+, which includes OPEC members, Russia and other non-cartel members, has agreed to continue to increase oil production. Sanctions against Russia, one of the world's largest energy suppliers, could result in oil buyers losing access to a key oil seller.

The price of crude oil, a key determiner for gas prices, surpassed $110 a barrel Wednesday.

President Joe Biden has warned that sanctions against Russia and other moves to defend Ukraine will cost Americans, and many people began to notice increased prices at the pump last week as the invasion commenced.

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"I will do everything in my power to limit the pain the American people are feeling at the gas pump," Biden said last month. "This is critical to me."

The U.S. and its allies released 60 million barrels of oil from their strategic reserves this week, but a similar move in November 2021 had little lasting effect.

Demand could increase with COVID restrictions loosening and warmer weather prompting road trips, De Haan said in a press release released Thursday. San Francisco's record-setting average price "is likely just the beginning of a larger trend of price spikes to come to California and the entire country," he said.

Highest gas price increases in the US

Places where gas price averages have risen the most since last week, AAA said, are Michigan (+39 cents), Indiana (+36 cents), Illinois (+31 cents) and Ohio (+30 cents).

Contributing: The Associated Press

Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @mikesnider.

Why the average gas price is at $4.99 a gallon and how high it'll go ...

New York (CNN Business) Next stop, $5.

The US average for the price of a gallon of regular gas hit $4.99 according to the most recent reading from AAA Friday. It marked the 14th straight day, and the 31st time in the last 32 that gas has set a record in America. Gas prices have climbed 39 cents, or 8%, just in the two weeks since the start of the Memorial Day weekend kicked off the traditional summer driving season.

For much of the country, $5 gas is already here.

There are now 20 states plus Washington, DC, with averages of $5 or above. The highest priced state remains California, with a state average of $6.42 a gallon. As of Thursday, 31% of the nation's 130,000 gas stations were already selling gas for more than $5 a gallon.

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Average gas price up 11 cents per gallon, nears $4 amid Russian war

Gas prices were already high, but overnight they went up 11 cents, approaching the $4 per-gallon average nationwide.

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline rose to $3.84 on Friday, up from $3.73 on Thursday, according to AAA. That comes after another 11-cent increase between Monday and Thursday.

Prices averaged $3.57 a week ago and $3.42 a month ago, the organization said.

Concerns over Russia's invasion Ukraine have put pressure on global oil markets and affected U.S. gas prices, even though the country buys very little oil from Russia.

Gas prices topping $4 per gallon by Memorial Day had been predicted prior to Russia's attack on Ukraine. Already, the average price per gallon in California has surpassed $5 at $5.01, the most expensive market in the U.S., AAA said.

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in San Francisco hit the $5 mark Thursday – the first time a U.S. city has hit an average that high, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at fuel-savings app GasBuddy.

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Several other states have already surpassed the average $4 per gallon, according to AAA:

Hawaii ($4.66)

Oregon ($4.28)

Nevada ($4.29)

Washington ($4.22)

Alaska ($4.18)

Illinois ($4.10)

New York ($4.05)

Pennsylvania ($4)

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The last time average national gas prices were this high? July 2008 during the Great Recession when prices hit about $4.10 per gallon – both AAA and GasBuddy say – when economic growth briefly outpaced oil production, which drove oil prices to $145 a barrel in July 2008. Oil prices cratered to $40 a barrel in December 2008.

A national average of $4 per gallon could happen "in the next week or two," De Haan said, during a question-and-answer session on Facebook Live.

GasBuddy, which through its app provides real-time gas price information for more than 150,000 stations nationwide, has the national average a bit lower than AAA, at $3.78 per gallon, De Haan said, but that's up 20 cents from a week ago.

Russian oil and petroleum products accounted for 7% or less of all U.S. oil imports, but the Russia-Ukraine crisis has led to a global effect on oil that's also hitting Americans at the pump.

That's because oil importers and shippers have issued "a de facto ban" on Russian oil, decreasing the overall global supply, even though Russia's oil imports have not yet been sanctioned, Tom Kloza, chief global analyst for the Oil Price Information Service, told USA TODAY.

"Even though the U.S. and EU did not sanction Russia, the various elements of the supply chain are suppressing Russian departures," said Kloza, who expects gas prices to continue to rise. "I would have argued that this year would see high gasoline prices under any circumstances but the de facto ban is the accelerant at the moment."

Consumers may be able to withstand higher gas prices, for while at least, until the national average reaches $4.50 or $5, De Haansaid. "Because of us coming out of the pandemic, Americans still have pent-up demand for getting out," De Haan said. As mask mandates are lifted, "that may embolden more people to travel," he said.

Some good news: De Haan has seen no sign of price gouging on the part of station owners.

"I can see that wholesale gas prices are up 12 cents a gallon today," he said. "So that is how we can tell you that prices are going to continue to go up. … I would say that probably 99.999% of stations are simply passing along the price increase."

Contributing: Paul Davidson of USA TODAY and The Associated Press

Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @mikesnider.

Gas prices jump 8 cents, record for diesel prices broken

One day after the record for the average cost of gas nationwide was broken, prices at the pump continued to climb on Wednesday, jumping an average of 8 cents.

The national average for a regular gallon of gas is now $4.25, according to AAA. On Tuesday, the cost was $4.17, breaking the July 2008 record of $4.11, which would be around $5.25 today when adjusted for inflation.

Aside from inflation and loosened COVID-19 restrictions leading people to venture out more, Russia's invasion of Ukraine remains a large factor behind rising prices. Sanctions put on Russia include the country's selling of crude oil, which is one of the biggest factors in determining gas prices.

(How much are you paying for gas? How is it affecting you and your budget? Share your thoughts with USA TODAY on the form below or use this form if you have photos of your local gas station's prices to share for possible inclusion in future stories, photo galleries and social media posts.)

Russian crude oil only accounts for 3% of U.S. imports, but it has a big role because it produces "heavier, sour crude" oil, according to Ramanan Krishnamoorti, a professor at the University of Houston. He added Russia's oil is also needed because U.S. refineries are not designed to use only light, sweet crude oil.

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U.S. crude oil costs $125.52 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard, costs $130.33 per barrel on Tuesday night, according to Bloomberg. Prices are likely to climb after President Joe Biden announced a ban on the U.S. import of all Russian energy products on Tuesday.

"Consumers can expect the current trend at the pump to continue as long as crude prices climb," AAA said on Monday.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at fuel-savings app GasBuddy, told CNN on Tuesday "we could see a national average of $5 a gallon" based on the situation in Ukraine, days after saying it was a "somewhat remote" possibility.

Other factors in the rising gas total include the increased demand while total supply drops.

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Diesel price reaches all-time high

Regular gas price records aren't the only ones being broken.

The national average price for a gallon of diesel is now $4.88, according to AAA, breaking the record for the most expensive diesel cost, not adjusting for inflation. The previous high was $4.84 on July 17, 2008, which would be around $6.19 in today's dollars.

Diesel prices have seen a more dramatic jump in cost than regular gas, with the national average gallon of diesel at $4.75 on Tuesday, just seven days after it was $4.01.

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Most expensive, least expensive states for gas

California continues to have the highest average at $5.57 as of Wednesday and remains the only state to have an average over $5. Mono County near the Nevada border continues to have the most expensive gas in the Golden State at $6.14.

On the other side of the spectrum, Oklahoma and Kansas are tied for the cheapest average at $3.79 per gallon.

How much is gas in my state?

As of Wednesday, only 15 states have an average price less than $4. Here is the average price of gas in each state, per AAA data, in alphabetical order:

Alabama: $4.04

Alaska: $4.58

Arizona: $4.39

Arkansas: $3.84

California: $5.57

Colorado: $3.91

Connecticut: $4.41

Delaware: $4.25

Florida: $4.21

Georgia: $4.16

Hawaii: $4.77

Idaho: $4.17

Illinois: $4.52

Indiana: $4.23

Iowa: $3.89

Kansas: $3.79

Kentucky: $4.01

Louisiana: $4.03

Maine: $4.25

Maryland: $4.23

Massachusetts: $4.30

Michigan: $4.24

Minnesota: $3.92

Mississippi: $3.92

Missouri: $3.80

Montana: $3.95

Nebraska: $3.87

Nevada: $4.77

New Hampshire: $4.23

New Jersey: $4.32

New Mexico: $4.11

New York: $4.43

North Carolina: $4.12

North Dakota: $3.86

Ohio: $4.07

Oklahoma: $3.79

Oregon: $4.66

Pennsylvania: $4.39

Rhode Island: $4.28

South Carolina: $4.02

South Dakota: $3.87

Tennessee: $4.04

Texas: $3.93

Utah: $4.19

Vermont: $4.26

Virginia: $4.18

Washington: $4.63

West Virginia: $4.06

Wisconsin: $3.99

Wyoming: $3.92

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

High gas prices affecting you? Share your thoughts and photos with USA TODAY

Are you changing your driving habits because of rising gas prices? Share your thoughts with USA TODAY for possible inclusion in future coverage. If you don't see the form below or want to submit photos, please use this form.

The average gas price is above $4 in every state. How long will they ...

The average price of gas in the U.S. is $4.52 as the all-time record continues to be broken.

The average price of gas is at least $4 in every state, with Kansas having the cheapest gas.

Experts predict gas prices will continue to climb throughout the year and could reach over $5.

The average U.S. gas price continues to reach record highs, with every state averaging at least $4 a gallon, and experts say it will continue to climb.

The average for a gallon of gas is $4.58, according to AAA, a 17 cent jump from last week and 41 cent increase from when the national record was broken in March. Diesel prices have remained the same for a week at $5.57.

Although the national average has been above $4 since February, some Midwest states where gas is the cheapest, have remained below the benchmark until Tuesday. The cheapest state to get gas is currently Oklahoma, where the average is now $4.03. Following Oklahoma are Kansas ($4.04), Arkansas ($4.12), Missouri (4.13), Georgia ($4.13) and Colorado ($4.13).

While the national record has been broken, it has yet to beat the 2008 record when adjusted for inflation, which would be well over $5 today.

But experts believe that mark could be eventually be surpassed, and the high cost at the pump will remain.

"We have to accept that the gas prices are probably going to be high for a long time," Leo Waldenback, co-founder of the online driver's education program Zutobi, told USA TODAY. "It's definitely an extremely unique situation."

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Why are gas prices so high?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine was the main contributing factor when gas prices reached all-time records in March, and Waldenback said it still is playing a role today as embargoes on Russian oil remain in place.

As a result, the cost of oil worldwide continues to be over $100. U.S. crude oil costs $109.67 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard, costs $110.04 as of Thursday, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Matt Smith, an analyst with data analytics firm Kpler, told USA TODAY last week "gasoline prices will remain high as long as oil prices remain in the triple digits."

Another factor is the transition into summer months, when demand for gas due to traveling is heightened. AAA said on Monday the switch to the summer blend of gas is already underway, which typically adds seven to 10 cents per gallon.

"Even the annual seasonal demand dip for gasoline during the lull between spring break and Memorial Day, which would normally help lower prices, is having no effect this year," said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross.

How long will gas prices be so high?

Waldenback said there is no ceiling, but it's certainly possible for the national average to go above $5 at some point this year.

"If we're saying the situation is like it is now, then I still think we're going to see fairly high prices for possibly the entire year and possibly longer," he said.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said on Monday demand and available inventory of gasoline will also dictate future prices. De Haan also said last week the upcoming hurricane season could hurt oil refinery capacity.

"Prices later this week could be closer to $5 per gallon than $4, as demand continues to edge higher and inventories of both gasoline and diesel continue to decline, temperatures warm and motorists get back outside and we near the Memorial Day weekend, the start of the summer driving season," De Haan said. "There isn’t much reason to be optimistic that we’ll see a plunge any time soon."

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When will gas prices go down?

Waldenback said what will help an eventual drop in gas prices is the response from the Biden Administration and other world leaders in their ability to produce oil on their own and meet market demand.

"It depends on how quickly we're able to ramp up the production of gas and oil in other places and in other parts of the world, but that's going to take a lot a long time. I think we have to accept that the gas prices are probably going to be high for a long time," he said.

Where is gas the most expensive in the U.S.?

California continues to have the most expensive gas in the country as of Wednesday, according to AAA, being the only state above $6 at $6.06. In total, there are six states averaging at least $5.

Here are the highest regular gas prices per gallon in the U.S.:

California: $6.06

Hawaii: $5.35

Nevada: $5.23

Washington: $5.18

Alaska: $5.14

Oregon: $5.13

Illinois: $4.97

New York: $4.90

Washington, D.C.: $4.87

Arizona: $4.84

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.


First lady Jill Biden makes unannounced trip to Ukraine - CNNPolitics

Uzhhorod, Ukraine (CNN) First lady Jill Biden spent part of Mother's Day making an unannounced trip to Uzhhorod, Ukraine, a small city in the far southwestern corner of Ukraine, a country that for the last 10 weeks has been under invasion by Russia.

At a converted school that now serves as temporary housing for displaced citizens, Biden met with Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska, who has not been seen in public since the start of the war on February 24.

"I wanted to come on Mother's Day," Biden said to her Ukrainian counterpart, the two women seated at a small table in a classroom of a former school that is now a source of temporary housing for displaced Ukrainians, including 48 children. "We thought it was important to show the Ukrainian people this war has to stop. And this war has been brutal." Biden added, "The people of the United States stand with the people of Ukraine."

Zelenska, who early on in the Russian invasion sent a letter to Biden, has exchanged correspondence with her American counterpart in recent weeks, US officials tell CNN.

"First of all, I would like to thank you for a very courageous act," said Zelenska, speaking through an interpreter to Biden. "Because we understand what it takes for the US first lady to come here during a war when the military actions are taking place every day, where the air sirens are happening every day, even today. We all feel your support and we all feel the leadership of the US President but we would like to note that the Mother's Day is a very symbolic day for us because we also feel your love and support during such an important day."

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Jill Biden makes surprise trip to Ukraine, meets Ukrainian first lady

WASHINGTON – First lady Jill Biden made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Sunday, meeting with the first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, as Russia continues to attack the country.

Biden crossed into Ukraine at Uzhhorod, visiting a school that is being used as temporary housing and shelter for 163 displaced Ukrainians, including 47 children.

“I wanted to come on Mother’s Day. I thought it was important to show the Ukrainian people that this war has to stop, and this war has been brutal and that the people of the United States stand with the people of Ukraine,” Biden said.

The visit was among Biden’s last stops of a Mother’s Day weekend trip to the region. She spent time with U.S. troops in Romania and met with displaced Ukrainian refugees in Romania and Slovakia. Biden's trip to Ukraine also comes one day before Russia will celebrate its Victory Day, the anniversary of the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany.

Live updates:First lady Jill Biden visits shelter in Ukraine, meets with country's first lady

Biden greeted Zelenska with a bouquet of flowers and a hug. The two first ladies have exchanged correspondence in the past few weeks, according to a pool report. This is the first time Zelenska has appeared in public since Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24.

Biden spent roughly two hours in Ukraine, where she held an hourlong private meeting with Zelenska and went on to meet with children who were sheltered at the school.

Zelenska said Biden’s visit to Ukraine is a “very courageous act.”

“Because we understand what it takes for the U.S. first lady to come here during a war when the military actions are taking place every day, where the air sirens are happening every day even today,” Zelenska said, according to a translation provided to reporters.

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Zelenska said that Ukraine feels supported by the United States and by President Joe Biden.

“We all feel your support and we all feel the leadership of the U.S. president, but we would like to note that the Mother’s Day is a very symbolic day for us because we also feel your love and support during such an important day,” Zelenska said.

Jill Biden and Zelenska met with about 15 displaced Ukrainian children who were doing arts and crafts projects for Mother’s Day.

An official with the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration told reporters the projects were recreational and psychosocial, in an effort to promote socialization among children who are now living at the school and dealing with trauma from the war.

The children used cardboard and tissue paper to make bears, which represent the region around Uzhhorod. Both first ladies crafted their own bears, using white and yellow tissue paper, according to the pool.

That was Biden’s last stop during her multiday trip to eastern Europe before heading back to Slovakia to depart at Kosice Airport.

Michael LaRosa, press secretary to the first lady, said during a press briefing on the plane that Biden first expressed that she wanted to visit Ukraine in March for her spring break, but the opportunity was not available at the time.

"Mother’s Day was something she thought would be special for the mothers of Ukraine,” he said.

LaRosa said officials who landed in the region 10 days in advance of Biden's trip began notifying regional government officials of the first lady's travel plans. At that point, Ukrainians offered to arrange a visit with Zelenska.

While Biden had always planned to visit the school, the meeting with Zelenska was only confirmed in the last few days, LaRosa said.

LaRosa said that during their meeting, Biden asked Zelenska how she was doing as a mother and handling the war.

Zelenska said she was grateful she “is able to hold her children’s hands every night even though she can’t be with her husband," LaRosa shared.

More:Russia's Victory Day on May 9 could mark key deadline in its invasion of Ukraine

Biden was quickly praised for her trip to Ukraine.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Biden’s visit with Zelenska will bring “so much support and encouragement to the Ukrainian women and children.”

“For her to go there on Mother's Day to meet with the Ukrainian first lady, I think sends a very strong, a very positive message,” Thomas-Greenfield said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Thomas-Greenfield noted she met with Ukrainian mothers during a trip to Romania and Moldova a few weeks ago and has seen the strength they have.

“Having the first lady there, encouraging them, supporting them, actually in Ukraine, I think sends a strong message of support and commitment that the U.S. government has to supporting Ukrainians moving forward,” she said.

Reach Rebecca Morin at Twitter @RebeccaMorin_

Jill Biden to travel to Romania and Slovakia on mission to support ...

(CNN) First lady Jill Biden will travel to Romania and Slovakia this week in a show of support for displaced Ukrainian families forced to flee in the wake of Russia's invasion. Biden will also use the trip to meet with members of the United States military stationed overseas, as well as top-level government officials in both countries, according to a release from the East Wing.

The first lady will depart Washington for Romania on Thursday, stopping first at Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase on Friday, where she will meet with service members before heading to the capital city of Bucharest on Saturday. In Bucharest, Biden will hold meetings with members of the Romanian government, as well as humanitarian aid workers. Romania has seen the largest influx of Ukrainian refugees as a result of the crisis (after Poland), with hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians crossing the border into the country since the war began three months ago, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Biden, a community college professor, will also spend time in Bucharest with educators who are helping teach displaced Ukrainian children and assist in their schooling as they adjust to their new environment.

On Saturday evening, Biden will travel to Bratislava, Slovakia, where she will meet with United States embassy staff before departing the following day for Kosice and Vysne Nemecke, Slovakia, to meet with Ukrainian refugees. Biden will also greet local Slovaks who have opened their homes to families from Ukraine seeking refuge. More than 350,000 Ukrainians have fled to Slovakia, according to UNHCR.

Biden wraps her trip on Monday, May 9, by meeting with members of the Slovak government before departing for the United States.

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Jill Biden heading to Latin America on three-country tour - CNNPolitics

(CNN) First lady Jill Biden on Wednesday departs Washington for a six-day Latin American tour, with scheduled stops in Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica, according to a White House release obtained first by CNN.

Biden will be joined on the trip by her daughter, Ashley Biden. The tour will "emphasize the importance of the US partnership," as well as the three countries' commitment to democracy, "in a region where democratic backsliding is increasingly common," says the release.

In Ecuador, Biden is scheduled to meet with President Guillermo Lasso, and deliver a keynote speech focused on democracy and the challenges of migrating Latin Americans, according to an official. The trip comes as the Biden administration faces several challenges on the immigration front, including a heated debate over Title 42, a Trump-era pandemic restriction that allows migrants to be turned away at the US-Mexico border because of the public health crisis.

Biden will also visit an elementary school that is "hosting a US-supported accelerated learning program that helps Ecuadorian, Venezuelan, and Colombian teenagers -- who were previously out of school for at least two years -- rejoin the formal school system," says the release, a visit she will make with Ecuador first lady Maria de Lourdes Alcivar de Lasso.

In Panama, Biden will hold joint events with the first lady of that country, Yazmín Colón de Cortizo. She will also visit a health care facility in Panama City that is supported by the United States' PEPFAR program.

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Jill Biden on President Joe Biden's hindered progress: 'He had so ...

(CNN) First lady Jill Biden on Saturday voiced frustration about the stalled progress of President Joe Biden 's tenure in the White House during a private Democratic National Committee fundraiser.

The first lady said during the event in Nantucket, Massachusetts, that her husband has been consistently challenged by unanticipated crises while in office, placing blame on global woes. Biden's remarks came as the President's job approval rating stands at 33% according to a recent New York Times and Siena College poll , which also noted just 13% of Americans say the country is heading in the right direction

"[The President] had so many hopes and plans for things he wanted to do, but every time you turned around, he had to address the problems of the moment," said Biden, speaking to about two dozen attendees at a private home on the popular vacation island off the coast of Massachusetts.

Biden also announced she expects to meet next week with Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, with whom she last met in May during an unannounced trip into Ukraine. She did not elaborate on the agenda for her upcoming meeting, and CNN has reached out to Biden's office for more details.

On the domestic front, Biden noted gun violence, the Supreme Court's momentous decision on Roe v. Wade and the war in Ukraine as problems the President did not anticipate.

"He's just had so many things thrown his way," she said. "Who would have ever thought about what happened [with the Supreme Court overturning] Roe v Wade? Well, maybe we saw it coming, but still we didn't believe it. The gun violence in this country is absolutely appalling. We didn't see the war in Ukraine coming."

Biden said she, too, felt hamstrung in her role as first lady, and had been unexpectedly pulled in other directions from the course she initially intended.

"I was saying to myself, 'Okay, I was second lady. I worked on community colleges. I worked on military families. I've worked on cancer.' They were supposed to be my areas of focus. But then when we got [in the White House,] I had to be, with all that was happening, the first lady of the moment."

The first lady shared her frustration about the overturning last month of Roe v. Wade, which ended the federal constitutional right to an abortion . Biden added that while she supported the right to protest, being angry about the decision, in her opinion, is not enough -- contradicting the President's remarks last week, where he encouraged women to "keep protesting," adding protesting is "critically important."

Biden said she told her own family members they should think about doing more than protesting.

"So many young girls, my own grandchildren included, went up to the Supreme Court and marched. I say, 'Okay, good for you. But what are you going to do next? You feel good about yourself because you voiced your opinion but what are you going to do next? What is your plan?'"

The White House has acknowledged a path forward to reinstate abortion rights is narrow, and at this time, undetermined.

Biden also slammed Congress during her remarks, blaming the administration's stalled agenda on Republicans. Joe Biden's sweeping Build Back Better plan -- which would have expanded the nation's social safety net -- was served its latest blow this week when West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat, dismissed including any climate or tax provisions in the bill. In a narrowly divided Senate, Democrats needed Manchin's support to pass the legislation along party lines in a process called budget reconciliation, which requires all 50 members of the Democratic caucus to agree to advance legislation.

"I know there are so many nay-sayers who say we'll get slammed in the midterms. Okay. The Republicans are working hard, they stick together, for good or evil. So, we just have to work harder," she said.

Saturday's event marked the second DNC fundraiser the first lady has attended during a two-day swing to Massachusetts. On Thursday, she made remarks, predominantly focused on political action, at a private event in Andover.

First lady Jill Biden includes Ukraine ambassador on her list of State ...

Markarova in recent weeks has been an outspoken defender of Ukraine in her country's fight against Russian invasion. On Monday, Markarova met with members of Congress to ask for continued sanctions and more weapons, saying, "We are not asking anyone to fight for us, we are defending our country ourselves. But we need all the support that all civilized world can give us to actually continue effectively fighting."

In addition to Markarova, Biden announced a list of eight other individuals chosen to sit with her and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff to watch President Joe Biden deliver his speech to the nation. A statement released by the White House said the guests were chosen based on their "resilience, innovation, service, and courage," and they will serve as representatives of the themes Biden will touch on in his address, including the pandemic, the military, infrastructure and the American Rescue Plan, healthcare, and education.

The guests include Joseph "JoJo" Burgess, an Army veteran and second-generation steelworker from Pittsburgh, who last month introduced President Biden at an event surrounding manufacturing, infrastructure and the American supply chain.

Seventh-grader Joshua Davis from Midlothian, Virginia, is a student-advocate for diabetes awareness, who with his mother also introduced President Biden at a February event, where the topic was the cost of prescription medication.

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G-7 bans Russian oil imports; US adds sanctions: May 8 recap

Editor's note: This page recaps the news from Ukraine on Sunday, May 8. Follow here for the latest updates and news from Monday, May 9, as Russia's invasion continues.

The United States and top allies will ban the import of Russian oil and impose a new round of sanctions, world leaders said Sunday.

The moves, announced after a virtual meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are meant to further pressure Russia to end its war with Ukraine, which started Feb. 24. Only the U.S. had committed previously to a ban on importing Russian oil.

Following the G-7's virtual meeting with Zelenskyy, the leaders' released a statement condemning Russia's actions and underscoring their commitment to helping Ukraine.

"Today, we, the G-7, reassured President Zelenskyy of our continued readiness to undertake further commitments to help Ukraine secure its free and democratic future, such that Ukraine can defend itself now and deter future acts of aggression," the leaders said.

The announcement comes hours after first lady Jill Biden traveled to Ukraine to meet with Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine.

USA TODAY ON TELEGRAM: Join our Russia-Ukraine war channel to receive updates straight to your phone

Latest developments:

►Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an unexpected visit to Ukraine on Sunday, stopping by the town of Irpin — which was heavily damaged by Russia’s attempt to take Kyiv at the start of the war — before meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

►Acting ambassador Kristina Kvien, the top American diplomat in Ukraine, has temporarily returned to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv.

►Almost 7,000 civilians have been killed or injured since the war in Ukraine started in February, according to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

►Ukrainian forces have been making gains against Russian troops and may be able to push them out of artillery range of Kharkiv in the coming days, the Institute for the Study of War said in an assessment

Strong condemnation for school airstrike that may have killed 60

The Russian airstrike that may have killed as many as 60 people sheltering in the basement of a school in the eastern Ukrainian town of Bilohorivka — one of the deadliest assaults against civilians in the war — is drawing widespread condemnation.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "appalled'' by Saturday's attack, which flattened much of the school and also ignited a fire.

Luhansk province Gov. Serhiy Haidai said emergency crews found two bodies and rescued 30 people. “Most likely, all 60 people who remain under the rubble are now dead,” he wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

The act is part of a long list of war crimes Russia has committed, said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

"We have called out the Russians very early on for committing war crimes, and this contributes to that,” she said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said the organization "strongly condemns yet another attack on a school in Ukraine'' and reminded that "targeting civilians and civilian objects, including schools, is a violation of international humanitarian law.''

— Jorge L. Ortiz, Rebecca Morin

New sanctions on eve of Russia's Victory Day

The new round of sanctions on Russia imposed by the G-7 nations – a group that comprises the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom – came on the eve of Russia's celebration of Victory Day.

The May 9 holiday commemorates the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Western officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin could use the Victory Day celebration to announce either a triumph in Ukraine or an escalation of the war.

Besides a commitment by the G-7 nations to boycott Russian oil – only the U.S. had taken that step on one of Russia's top exports – the Biden administration will sanction three Russian TV stations.

RUSSIAN OIL:Russia has earned $66 billion in fuel exports since war began, report says

A senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity told reporters that U.S. advertising dollars, broadcast technology and equipment will no longer be available to those stations.

The U.S. will also impose new export controls and sanctions that will make it difficult for Russia to access wood products, industrial engines, boilers, motors, fans, ventilation equipment, bulldozers and many other items with industrial and commercial applications.

The White House will also prohibit individuals in the U.S. from providing accounting, trust and corporate formation and management consulting services to any person in Russia. The White House said those services are key to Russian companies and elites building wealth. Officials from several top banks in Russia will also be sanctioned.

— Rebecca Morin

Jill Biden makes surprise visit, meets Ukrainian first lady

First lady Jill Biden made an unannounced trip into Ukraine on Sunday, entering an active war zone where she met with her Ukrainian counterpart.

Biden met Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, during a visit to a public school in Uzhhorod, which is being used as temporary housing and shelter for 163 displaced Ukrainians, including 47 children.

This is the first time Zelenska has appeared in public since Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24.

Zelenska thanked Biden for visiting “because we understand what it takes for the US first lady to come here during a war when the military actions are taking place every day, where the air sirens are happening every day, even today."

“We all feel your support and we all feel the leadership of the U.S. president, but we would like to note that the Mother’s Day is a very symbolic day for us because we also feel your love and support during such an important day," the Ukrainian first lady said.

Biden and Zelenska met privately for an hour. Biden spent a little less than two hours in Ukraine before crossing the border back into Slovakia.

— Rebecca Morin

Members of U2 perform in Kyiv to show support

Bono and The Edge of U2 performed Sunday in a Kyiv subway station at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the band said on Twitter.

Zelenskyy "invited us to perform in Kyiv as a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and so that’s what we’ve come to do," Bono and The Edge tweeted.

Video clips on social media show the Irish band members singing "With or Without You" and performing a twist on "Stand by Me" with Taras Topola, the frontman of a popular Ukrainian band, Antibody.

Later in the day, Bono visited the church grounds in Bucha – site of multiple alleged Russian atrocities – where a mass grave was discovered in March.

— Katie Wadington

Ukrainian ambassador: World won't recognize Russian-controlled regions

Oksana Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S., said Sunday that her country "will do everything possible on the battlefield, but also diplomatically, to restore our territorial integrity and sovereignty."

Asked on CBS News' "Face the Nation" about moves Russia has made to annex parts of eastern Ukraine, Markarova said she was "positive" the world would not recognize the Kremlin's efforts to assert control there.

"We will never recognize it, the whole world will never recognize it," she said.

The interview came the day before Russian President Vladimir Putin may officially announce his country is at war with Ukraine, allowing for the conscription of more troops.

"Well, that would be the first time when Putin will say the truth, that it is war and that he is in dire need of conscripting soldiers," the ambassador said. "I hope that then it will be evident to all Russians what they are doing in Ukraine. That it’s an aggressive war. They attacked a neighboring country, a peaceful country. And the question is, are they prepared to have more tens of thousands dying in Ukraine for no reason at all?"

– Katie Wadington

WAR EXPLAINED:Evacuations, accusations and denials: Key events in Russia's war in Ukraine in 5 graphics

Russia's 'firehose of falsehood'

In its invasion, Russia is invoking World War II and Nazism in an effort to smear Ukrainian leaders, including attacks on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently fanned those flames when he raised the unproven claim that Adolf Hitler had Jewish ancestry. Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, accused Russia of spreading anti-Semitic tropes.

“Right now, at times, Russian propaganda even equates Nazis and Western civilization,” said Anton Shirikov, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin who specializes in propaganda and misinformation.

Russia’s propaganda machine is a “firehose of falsehood” whose primary target audience is the Russian public, said Christopher Paul, senior social scientist at the RAND Corp., a global policy think tank based in Santa Monica, California.

Read more here about the propaganda being used in war.

Zelenskyy hopes to evacuate wounded and military from steel plant next

Now that evacuations have successfully removed all women, children and elderly people from the Azovstal steel mill in Mariupol, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said another mission will attempt to rescue injured people and medics.

Zelenskyy added in his nightly video address to the nation late Saturday that an effort to also evacuate the Ukrainian soldiers still there, the "heroes who defended Mariupol," would be "difficult."

Iryna Vereshchuk, a deputy prime minister for Ukraine, announced Saturday that the evacuations of vulnerable citizens had taken place from the steel mill, where civilians and Ukrainian troops were the last holdouts from Russian forces. More than 300 people were evacuated in recent days, Zelenskyy said, after conditions in the underground bunkers increasingly worsened and Russia ramped up its shelling.

Russia rehearses Victory Day parade

Russia held a dress rehearsal Saturday for the military parade to commemorate Victory Day on May 9, when the country marks the defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II.

In Moscow on Saturday, an RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile rolled through Red Square as part of the rehearsal, warplanes and helicopters flew overhead, troops marched in formation and self-propelled artillery vehicles rumbled past.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Biden in Uvalde, Texas: Confronting grief and calls to 'do something ...

(CNN) President Joe Biden on Sunday faced the grimly familiar task of comforting families after another mass shooting, this time at an elementary school in Texas , as a broken community -- and a weary nation -- grappled with an endless spate of gun violence.

Hearing anguished calls to "do something" as he emerged from a midday Mass in Uvalde, Biden told the crowd, "We will." But after a day of somber remembrance, it remained unclear whether or how a nation's grief would translate to meaningful steps to prevent future massacres.

Biden and first lady Jill Biden bore witness to periodic bursts of anger during their visit to Uvalde, where a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers last week. It was their second time in as many weeks mourning alongside families whose loved ones died in a mass shooting.

The Bidens' visit came amid news from the Justice Department that it's conducting a review of the botched law enforcement response to the Uvalde shooting , which Texas officials have described as punctuated with wrong decisions.

Their armored black limousine arrived to a makeshift memorial outside Robb Elementary School around 11:15 a.m. Central Time, pulling to a stop next to the sea of flowers, stuffed animals and photos that has grown since the day of the massacre.

The first lady carried a large bouquet of white roses to place in front of the brick Robb Elementary School sign. The Bidens, both dressed in black, stood quietly for a moment in midday sun. The President made a sign of the cross and wiped away a tear.

After speaking with the school's principal and local officials, Biden and the first lady walked to a row of memorial wreaths, each marking one of the slain children or teachers. They touched cardboard cutouts of each one, their photos on the front circled by white flower garlands, in quiet observation.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden pay their respects at a makeshift memorial outside of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Sunday.

The Bidens attended Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller invited children from the devastated community to sit at the front.

"Our response must be one of hope and healing," he said, urging the community to "resolve to support one another with respect for our differences." The choir sang "On Eagle's Wings."

Biden and the first lady spent the afternoon meeting privately with family members of the victims at Uvalde County Arena, and first responders at Garner Field, before returning to their home in Delaware.

An adviser traveling with the President said he hoped "to convey empathy and understanding of what an impossibly horrible moment this is for them" and "to offer some small piece of comfort, if that is possible."

It was a solemn task made more grueling by the serious failings of law enforcement who responded to Tuesday's shooting in Uvalde. And it came without promise of major legislative action to prevent further carnage, though a bipartisan group of lawmakers have begun talks to identify areas of potential action.

The frustrations of an angry public could be felt at the memorial site. Some onlookers awaiting Biden began shouting when Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott arrived to accompany the President.

"Please Governor Abbott, help Uvalde County," one man was shouting. "We need change. Our children don't deserve this."

As Biden was departing, similar cries for help could be heard before he stepped into his vehicle.

JUST WATCHED Acts of kindness lift up Uvalde community after mass shooting Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Acts of kindness lift up Uvalde community after mass shooting 03:35

A day before his visit, Biden spoke to the agony of the parents he would be meeting Sunday.

"I'll be heading to Uvalde, Texas, to speak to those families. As I speak, those parents are literally preparing to bury their children, in the United States of America, bury their children. There is too much violence, too much fear, too much grief," Biden told graduates Saturday at the University of Delaware commencement ceremony.

For Biden, the trip represented a somber duty to join grieving families in their darkest moments. He often draws upon his own experience of losing two children -- a young daughter to a car crash and his adult son to brain cancer -- to console fellow parents.

"To lose a child is like having a piece of your soul ripped away. There's a hollowness in your chest, and you feel like you're being sucked into it and never going to be able to get out. It's suffocating. And it's never quite the same," Biden said the night of the shooting, speaking from the Roosevelt Room shortly after returning from a two-country visit to Asia.

President Joe Biden embraces Mandy Gutierrez, the principal of Robb Elementary School, as he and first lady Jill Biden visit Uvalde, Texas, on Sunday.

In Uvalde, a community shattered by last week's shooting, many came to watch the President and first lady make their way through the memorial site.

"I think President Biden making an appearance here is good. It's in order. That's what we need. We need the leader of the free world to be here, and sympathize and empathize with us," said Ronald Garza, an Uvalde County Commissioner, on CNN.

The Bidens' visit to Texas came 12 days after the couple traveled to Buffalo, New York , to visit the site of a racist massacre at a grocery store. That shooting left 10 people dead. Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to the city on Saturday to attend the funeral for 86-year-old Ruth Whitfield, the oldest victim of the attack.

"This is a moment that requires all good people who are loving people to just say we will not stand for this. Enough is enough," Harris said before laying a bouquet at a memorial outside the Tops Friendly Markets store where the shooting occurred May 14. As she left, Harris issued a call to ban assault weapons like the ones used to kill in Uvalde and Buffalo.

The dual visits by the President and vice president to communities afflicted by mass murder were a striking reminder of the scourge of gun violence consuming the nation. Biden, who has spent much of his career working to enact stricter gun laws, again called for action this week.

But he stopped short of demanding Congress pass any specific bill; the White House says it is up to Democratic leaders in the Senate to determine how to proceed on potential legislation. And he hasn't named a gun violence task force beyond officials already inside the administration.

Biden and his aides also concede there is little more he can achieve through executive action that could prevent the types of massacres that now occur with gruesome frequency.

On Sunday, Sen. Dick Durbin, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he sensed a "different feeling," among his colleagues in Congress when it comes to the possibility of passing gun control measures in the wake of the Uvalde shooting. But the Illinois Democrat suggested to CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union" that if anything passed, it would be limited in scope due to the need to compromise with Republicans.

In Texas, Biden also confronted harrowing accounts of the shooting that even state law enforcement officials said amounted to a failing by police. The decision by responding officers not to enter the classroom where the shooting occurred -- despite 911 calls from students pleading for help -- leaves open the question of whether some lives could have been saved.

The White House has said it will not prejudge an investigation into the actions of police. But the timeline disclosures, made Friday during a harrowing news conference in Uvalde, only added to the sense of anguish Biden confronted during his visit.

This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.

Jill Biden uses her soft diplomacy to make the case for partnering ...

San Jose, Costa Rica (CNN) First lady Jill Biden on Monday wraps a six-day, three-country tour of Latin America with an agenda that focused -- at times with subtlety and others with direct intent -- on why a partnership with the United States has its benefits.

"Alone, you can only do so much. Any one of us can only do so much," said Biden in remarks at the Ecuadorean presidential palace on Thursday. "That's what I'd like to talk to you about today: How when we work together, we can make our nations and our world stronger."

Biden has -- in the three capital cities of Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica -- made remarks on a similar theme, tackling issues related to democracy, growth and political freedom. Her mission has been to shore-up relations with allies in a region rife with corruption and immigration issues, a topic her husband's administration has found controversial back home.

First lady Jill Biden and the first lady of Ecuador Maria de Lourdes Alcivar de Lasso light candles at the Church of the Society of Jesus in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, May 20, 2022.

A federal judge in Louisiana on Friday blocked the Biden administration from ending a Trump-era pandemic restriction, known as Title 42, at the US-Mexico border, thwarting plans to terminate the controversial public health authority. Since taking office, Biden's administration has continued to rely on Title 42, a public health authority invoked at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic that allows border officials to turn migrants away at the US-Mexico border.

Yet Jill Biden's message on her South and Central American trip was not "do not come," which Vice President Kamala Harris bluntly communicated during her visit last June to Mexico and Guatemala. Instead, Biden's tone was closer to "stay where you are and reap the benefits of a US relationship."

"[Biden] understands the fine line she has to walk between serving as a goodwill emissary from the US promoting American values, and being a political actor herself," said Kate Andersen Brower, CNN contributor and author of "First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies."

Throughout her travels this week, the first lady has dotted her stops with gifts of funding, announcements of aid and promises of support from America, combining cheery partnership sweet spots with the warning that -- in a world of recent, ongoing and perhaps future challenges -- it is better to have the US in your corner than not.

"Injustice and corruption, poverty and pollution, disease and despair. They aren't contained by any borders," Biden said in Ecuador, standing at a podium just feet from that country's president, Guillermo Lasso, having met privately with him for close to an hour earlier in the day.

"If we learned anything from the Covid-19 pandemic, from these last few years of sickness and sorrow, it's how one deadly virus can move through the world. How hunger and violence are woven together. How a war in Europe can ripple through stock markets and supermarkets. And here, how the loss of trees in your Amazon can take a piece of the future from all of us."

First lady Jill Biden and the first lady of Ecuador Maria de Lourdes Alcivar de Lasso visit the Church of the Society of Jesus in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, May 20, 2022.

Quiet diplomacy behind the scenes

Biden left Ecuador the following day, after lighting a candle and touring Quito's largest church with first lady Maria de Lourdes Alcivar de Lasso.

Yet what the goodwill photo ops did not reveal were new conversations on the margins between State Department officials and the Ecuadorean government, an opportunity for needed, behind-the-scenes engagement, which the first lady's trip provided.

There are now ongoing negotiations for a bilateral agreement with Ecuador on migration and protection with countries throughout the region, a US official involved in the discussions told CNN.

First lady Jill Biden arrives at the Carondelet Palace in Quito, Ecuador, Thursday, May 19, 2022.

"Ecuador hosts large numbers of Venezuelan migrants and refugees," said the official. "We also discussed the importance of protection for this vulnerable group."

According to an official at the Department of Homeland Security, "More than 6 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants have fled their homes, making this the second-largest external displacement crisis in the world."

Seventeen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean host approximately 80% of this Venezuelan diaspora, including large numbers in Ecuador. Costa Rica, a country of only 5 million people, is hosting approximately 150,000 Nicaraguan migrants, fleeing another country with a tenuous political climate, according to the official.

"The first lady is the most visible woman in American politics," said Brower. "By showing interest in another region and using the unique soft power of her position to promote American values and democracy she can strengthen and even heal relationships."

Brower also noted the position of a first lady, Biden especially, has become increasingly influential in high-stakes diplomatic scenarios.

"There's a general acceptance that a first lady has the gravitas and clout to make a trip to a region critical to the US," said Brower.

'Diplomacy is about relationships'

In Panama on Saturday, during a visit to an HIV/AIDS shelter home, funded by the US's PEPFAR program, the first lady announced an additional $80.9 million for PEPFAR in the region, including $12.2 million for Panama, which will be dedicated to expanding HIV/AIDS services and treatment, according to Biden's spokesman Michael LaRosa.

"I see this great community. I see how hard you're all working and, maybe with the additional funding that we will be announcing today, I'm hoping that it makes a difference for you," said Biden, who participated in a roundtable discussion at the shelter, listening to the needs of a community which has received little monetary support for HIV/AIDS from its own country's government, according to statistics provided by the East Wing.

The engagement of the PEPFAR program was done well before Biden's visit, said a White House official, though the announcement at the center was seen as a surprise.

"Bottom line is that none of this travel is typically done in a vacuum - it's part of a strategic plan - or should be," said Anita McBride, director of the First Ladies Initiative at American University and Laura Bush's former chief of staff.

First lady Jill Biden receives a pin from a woman at an event for women entrepreneurs at the U.S. Chief of Mission Residence in San José, Costa Rica, Saturday, May 21, 2022. The women in attendance have participated in U.S. State Department-sponsored programs focused on entrepreneurship.

At her third and final stop on the tour, Costa Rica, Biden on Saturday evening had dinner at the US ambassador's residence with Costa Rica's new president, Rodrigo Chaves, who has been in office for less than two weeks after a run-off election and was recently embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal from his years at the World Bank, and his wife, first lady Signe Zeicate.

Zeicate met Biden's plane at the airport that afternoon, welcoming her American counterpart with a hug and joining her for events Saturday and Sunday.

Costa Rican first lady Signe Zeicate, left, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles and first lady Jill Biden pose for a photo at the U.S. Chief of Mission Residence in San José, Costa Rica, Saturday, May 21, 2022.

"Diplomacy is about relationships. (Biden) builds a rapport with the first spouses and it matters, it helps to break the ice and establish some familiarity with each other, and in private moments share their husband's positions. They build some greater mutual understanding, hopefully," said McBride.

At San José's National Children's Hospital on Sunday, Zeicate seated in the front row of a small room where Biden was speaking. The first lady, in remarks to assembled media and local government officials, dropped the news that country's public health authority had recently entered a memorandum of understanding with the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, which, according to LaRosa, will boost research availability and, "help Costa Rican children access a lifesaving cancer treatment."

"No country can defeat cancer alone," said Biden. "It takes all of us working together."

Biden was introduced by US Ambassador to Costa Rica Cynthia Telles.

"It's important to note that the first lady's visit to Costa Rica was the catalyst for finalizing the agreement," said Telles.

First lady Jill Biden touts US commitment to South and Central ...

Quito, Ecuador (CNN) First lady Jill Biden spent her first full day of a trip through South and Central America on Thursday, using a speech at the Carondelet presidential palace in Quito, Ecuador, to emphasize the importance of global assistance and building alliances.

The first lady used her remarks, made before a speech by Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso, to tout America's commitment to this part of the world.

"You know, Joe and I hope that you know that he cares deeply about you, and I do too. And that's why I'm here today," said Biden, who on Friday departs for Panama before going on to Costa Rica. "The United States is committed to Ecuador."

The first lady's tour is meant to emphasize the role of the US in partnering with each country and those nations' commitment to democracy, according to her office. The trip comes as the Biden administration faces several challenges on the immigration front, including a heated debate over Title 42, a Trump-era pandemic restriction that allows migrants to be turned away at the US-Mexico border because of the public health crisis.

The visit also serves as a precursor to the Summit of the Americas, being held in June in Los Angeles. The summit convenes every three to four years and brings together leaders of North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean. This year will be the first time the United States has hosted the summit since its inception in 1994.

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