The Interior Secretary proposed a naval blockade of Russia as a way to push Moscow out of energy market.

Speaking Friday at an industry event in Pittsburgh hosted by the Consumer Energy Alliance, US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said the US Navy can blockade Russia if needed in order to keep it from controlling energy supplies in the Middle East as it does in Europe.

“The United States has that ability, with our Navy, to make sure the sea lanes are open, and, if necessary, to blockade… to make sure that their energy does not go to market,” Zinke said.

According to Washington Examiner, Zinke attended the event to explain why the technology of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, and the shale energy boom has supposedly given the US an edge over its rivals Russia and Iran, by making the US less dependent on foreign sources of energy.
The Interior Secretary believes that the reason why Russia entered the Middle East is hydrocarbons trade.

“Russia is a one trick pony,” Zinke said, stating that Russian economy depends solely on its ability to sell energy. “I believe the reason they are in the Middle East is they want to broker energy just like they do in Eastern Europe, the southern belly of Europe.”

Answering the question on how the US should deal with Russia and Iran, Zinke said that “there are two ways.”

“There is the military option, which I would rather not. And there is the economic option,” he said. “The economic option on Iran and Russia is, more or less, leveraging and replacing fuels.”

“We can do that because… the United States is the largest producer of oil and gas,” Zinke added.