A top national security official in Biden said the White House would impose additional sanctions on Russia in the coming hours, after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two pro-Moscow territories in Ukraine. on Monday.
“The United States will have important announcements later today, including sanctions that we will be imposing in response to what Russia has done,” said Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer. yesterday,” deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said in an appearance on MSNBC.
He also provided a little more detail on the additional sanctions announcements due later on Tuesday, suggesting that this could avert the severe sanctions the US previewed, while waiting for Russia to “take further action”.
“If Russia takes further actions, we will have to suffer even more serious and significant consequences that we can impose through sanctions on Russia, in addition to countervailing factors. Our other response, including security assistance to the Ukrainians to help them defend themselves and influence, the troop movements you’ve seen the US make, in the coming days,” Finer said, adding that the US Ky remains open about diplomacy.
For now, full sanctions against Russia are not expected because, “if you are going to deter [Putin] from taking Kyiv and the country – still a serious probability – you have to keep some threats of sanctions against that,” a senior administration official told CNN.
However, the sanctions announced today are still expected to go further than a limited package, the White House announced on Monday.
A senior US official told CNN that the cautious nature of Monday’s package was due in part to the need to consult Europeans about their willingness to go further and to assess assess whether Russia’s actions on Monday will trigger the full package of sanctions that the West has prepared. event of an invasion.
US and European officials have been tensely discussing for hours how to proceed with additional sanctions against Russia for sending troops into Ukraine, according to officials familiar with the matter.
The European Commission has also proposed sanctions to EU member states on Tuesday. The proposals would impose sanctions on 27 individuals and entities including political figures, propagandists, military personnel and financial institutions that the EU deems involved in “activities” illegal activity” in the area. There will also be sanctions on the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognition and 11 proponents – and the deployment of Russian troops.
The Commission has emphasized in particular that it will reflect sanctions implemented in Crimea after Moscow’s 2014 annexation.
