U.S. President Joe Biden announces additional sanctions on Russia during a press conference on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the East Room of the White House in Washington on the 22nd. Washington = Archyde.com
U.S. President Joe Biden announced on the 22nd (local time) a plan to impose sanctions on Russia, defining the entry of Russian troops into Donbas in eastern Ukraine as a “beginning of an invasion”. He sanctioned two Russian banks, including a military bank, and declared a ban on Russian financing from the West. At the same time, it also unveiled military countermeasures, such as the decision to send additional U.S. troops to the former Soviet Union countries along the Baltic Sea.
“This is the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” Biden said at a press conference at the White House in Washington on the same day. . In particular, he emphasized, “We will impose sanctions that go far beyond the measures implemented by the United States and its allies and allies in 2014 (when Russia annexes Crimea).”
Earlier on the 21st, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the separation of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), established by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Then, the Russian army ordered to enter the Donbas area, and Russian tanks and soldiers were deployed there. In response, the United States and NATO condemned Russia’s aggressive behavior, and the United States immediately announced the first round of sanctions targeting the DPR and LPR. President Biden’s announcement today is an additional sanction.
A tank of unknown nationality moves through the streets of the Donetsk People’s Republic of Donetsk, an unapproved pro-Russian state, in the early morning of the 22nd in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the independence of Donetsk and the Lugansk People’s Republic the day before and ordered the entry of regular Russian troops. Donetsk = Archyde.com
Biden: Russia can no longer raise money from the West
President Biden first named VEB and military banks as targets for sanctions, saying, “I will impose complete sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions.” “We are implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russian government bonds,” he said. “[Russia]can no longer raise money from the West, and it can’t trade new government bonds in the US or Europe,” Biden said.
In this regard, the U.S. Treasury Department also announced on the followingnoon of the same day that Russia’s largest state-run bank VEB and PSB, a special bank to support the defense industry, would be sanctioned.
“We will also impose sanctions on the Russian elite and their families,” Biden said. This means that additional sanctions once morest Putin’s closest officials and businessmen are foretold.
“If Russia continues to attack, further sanctions might follow,” Biden said. Germany, in consultation with the United States, took measures to suspend the approval of ‘Nord Stream-2’, a natural gas supply chain between Russia and Europe, and the United States is also considering additional economic sanctions such as export controls to Russia.
Putin orders troops to mobilize in Ukrainian East Bass. Hankook Ilbo Graphic News Team
Disclosure of sanctions and military countermeasures through a 9-minute speech
The US is also preparing to strengthen military aid to Ukraine and Eastern Europe. President Biden introduced that he had approved the movement of additional troops and equipment to strengthen the defenses of the former Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are adjacent to Russia. “In response to Russia’s statement that it will not withdraw its troops from Belarus, I authorize the further movement of US forces and equipment already stationed in Europe to strengthen our Baltic allies,” he said. However, he drew the line as “our complete defensive move.”
“The United States has no intention of fighting Russia,” he said, but vowed to “send the unmistakable message that the United States and its allies will defend all parts of NATO’s territory.”
President Biden also called for American understanding and unity, saying that “it will cost us to defend freedom.” It was also explained that Russian sanctions might raise oil prices and harm Americans.
President Joe Biden (left) speaks during the first summit between US President Joe Biden (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Villa La Grunge in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16, last year. Geneva = EPA
“There is still time to avoid the worst-case scenario,” Biden said. I hope that diplomacy is possible.” “We will judge Russia by actions, not words,” he said. The US and Russia agreed to hold a foreign ministers’ meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on the 24th, but it is unclear whether the meeting will be successful following the Russian invasion of Donbas.
President Biden’s speech lasted nine minutes. After the speech, he left without questioning from reporters.
Earlier, in a 55-minute speech the previous day, Putin claimed that “Ukraine is an American colony with a puppet regime,” and that “the present Ukraine was made by Russia.”
Washington = Jeong Sang-won correspondent ornot@hankookilbo.com
