U.S. Senator Mark Warner says he supports the effort to stop buying oil from Russia, even if it means higher prices at the pump.

In an interview with reporters Tuesday, Warner said “if we continue to buy Russian oil, a lot of those funds go directly to finance the Russian military efforts and the the Russian government.” He said the U.S. needs to take a leadership role and he believes “the American people are prepared to do it.”

Earner said the ban is necessary, if the U.S. is serious about penalizing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Warner said he supports the President Biden’s decision to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He added that the government is encouraging companies to restore U.S. oil production that was halted at the beginning of the pandemic.

Gas prices in Virginia shattered all records Tuesday, with no end to price hikes in sight. As of March 8, AAA says Virginia’s average price per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline is $4.103, which breaks the record of $4.010 set in July 2008.

AAA says the average price in Danville Tuesday was $3.98, while Pittsylvania County residents were paying an average of $3.99 per gallon. Many stations raised their prices above the $4 level yesterday.