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US Launches New Sanctions Against Russia Over Recognition of Separatist Regions of Ukraine

Washington stressed that the current set of sanctions are different from the “swift and severe economic measures” that the US and its allies are prepared to impose if Russia invades Ukraine.

February 22, 2022
US Launches New Sanctions Against Russia Over Recognition of Separatist Regions of Ukraine
On Sunday, American President Joe Biden said he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the precondition that he does not invade Ukraine.
IMAGE SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES

On Monday, United States (US) President Joe Biden slammed Russia with a fresh wave of sanctions for declaring Donetsk and Luhansk, two breakaway territories in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine, as “independent states.” Washington emphasised that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognise Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) in an official capacity violate Russia’s commitments to the Minsk Agreements.

In retaliation, Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) putting into place various economic prohibitions that block American financing, trade, and investment in the DNR and LNR. The EO grants Washington the authority to impose sanctions on individuals who are found to be providing or sponsoring any sort of economic or material support for the two territories. A White House statement highlighted that the new sanctions do not limit humanitarian aid to the regions. However, the statement stressed that the current set of sanctions are different from the “swift and severe economic measures” that the US and its Allies are prepared to impose if Russia continues its military aggression towards Ukraine.

A senior Biden administration official told reporters that Putin’s actions are in line with the sequence of events the US had laid out and predicted at the United Nations (UN) Security Council meeting, noting that there has been a sharp increase in the number of “false-flag” events. The official labelled Putin’s actions as “theatrics” and not “legitimate statecraft,” adding that Putin is “accelerating the very conflict he has created.”

Amid the heightened security environment, the US Department of State said its personnel in Lviv spent the night in Poland due to safety concerns. Last week, Biden temporarily shifted Washington’s diplomatic mission in Kyiv to Lviv near the Polish border. Washington provided assurances of diplomatic support for Americans in Ukraine but warned that a Russian invasion of the country is imminent.

According to Reuters, if Russia invades Ukraine, the US will prohibit American financial institutions from conducting business with major Russian banks. The US is also planning to consider placing Russian banks on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, which would effectively bar them from participating in the American banking system.

Additionally, the senior Biden administration official said that Washington has already prepared to take further actions over the matter in the next few days. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed this move, adding that Washington is consulting its allies, including Kyiv, to stop the ongoing escalation. Although Biden has agreed to meet Putin “in principle,” recent developments indicate that decision might rest on the upcoming meeting between the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.