The West closes in on Russia's last lifeline

The United States and Europe have pummeled Russia with unprecedented sanctions over the past several weeks as Vladimir Putin's army bears down on Ukraine. But the West has largely left Russia's largest export untouched: energy.

Until now.

European Union officials on Tuesday said the bloc would slash imports of Russian natural gas by two thirds this year, and the EU announced a plan to achieve energy independence from Moscow "well before 2030." That would separate Europe from its single biggest energy supplier.