Washington [US], March 23 (ANI/Sputnik): US President Joe Biden is expected to announce this week new sanctions against more than 300 members of the Russian State Duma over Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine, The Wall Street Journal reported citing American officials. The report said on Tuesday that the Biden administration could announce the sanctions as soon as Thursday when Biden will meet with NATO leaders to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
Earlier in the day, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden will announce new sanctions against Russia while he is in Brussels meeting with NATO and European partners. The report, citing US officials, confirmed that the sanctions will be announced in coordination with the European Union and members of the G7.
A US official said the planned sanctions packaged are often postponed and changed during the interagency review process prior to being finalized. Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 with the goals of demilitarizing the country, neutralizing nationalist battalions, ensuring Ukraine remains a neutral country and that Crimea is recognized as a part of Russia that cannot be taken away. Russia also seeks to ensure Ukraine also recognizes the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics are independent states.
According to the Sastellum.Al sanctions tracker, Russia has become the most sanctioned country in the world with more than 7,100 restrictive measures imposed against the country since 2014 – a majority of which came after Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February. On March 20, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said it had recorded 2,361 civilian casualties since the start of the operation in Ukraine, including 902 deaths and 1,459 injuries. 992 of the total casualties occurred in Donetsk and Luhansk and 1,369 in other regions of Ukraine, according to the OHCHR. (ANI/Sputnik)
Biden discusses Russia’s ‘brutal’ tactics in Ukraine with European leaders
Washington [US], March 22 (ANI): US President Joe Biden on Monday (local time) held discussions with European leaders on Russia’s “brutal” tactics in Ukraine and humanitarian assistance to the millions of Ukrainians who have fled the violence. Biden spoke with France President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson where the leaders underscored their continued support for Ukraine, including security assistance to the war-torn country.
“The leaders discussed their serious concerns about Russia’s brutal tactics in Ukraine, including its attacks on civilians. They underscored their continued support for Ukraine, including by providing security assistance to the brave Ukrainians who are defending their country from Russian aggression, and humanitarian assistance to the millions of Ukrainians who have fled the violence,” read a White House press release.
Moreover, the leaders also reviewed recent diplomatic efforts in support of Ukraine’s effort to reach a ceasefire, as per the release. As per an earlier White House press release, Biden will travel to Poland during his Europe trip to discuss international efforts to support Ukraine and impose “severe and unprecedented costs” on Russia for its invasion. “This week, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. will travel to Poland following his meetings in Brussels, Belgium with our NATO Allies, G7 Leaders, and European Union leaders to discuss international efforts to support Ukraine and impose severe and unprecedented costs on Russia for its invasion,” White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement.
The statement said, on Friday, March 25, President Biden will travel to Warsaw, Poland, where he will hold a bilateral meeting with President Andrzej Duda. “The President will discuss how the United States, alongside our Allies and partners, is responding to the humanitarian and human rights crisis that Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked war on Ukraine has created,” read the statement. Meanwhile, on March 23, Biden will travel to Brussels, Belgium.
On March 24, Biden will attend an extraordinary NATO Summit to discuss ongoing deterrence and defence efforts in response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine. The President will reaffirm our ironclad commitment to our NATO Allies and to defend every inch of NATO territory. The President will attend a G7 meeting to further discuss with its Allies and partners the consequences of imposing on Russia for its war of choice.
Biden will also join a scheduled European Council Summit to discuss our shared concerns about Ukraine, including transatlantic efforts to impose economic costs on Russia, provide humanitarian support to those affected by the violence, and address other challenges related to the conflict.
On February 24, Russia began a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics requested help in defending themselves. What followed the military operation was a slew of sanctions imposed by the western countries targeting the Russian economy. (ANI)
