“If Russian President Vladimir Putin does not pay the price for the death and destruction he spreads, he will continue,” said President Joe Biden, justifying the US’s actions. According to the US President, the total of more than 500 new sanctions are aimed, on the one hand, against individuals who are connected to the imprisonment of opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who died in a penal colony a week ago. On the other hand, they are directed against “the Russian financial sector, the defense industry, supply networks and perpetrators of sanctions evasion” on several continents. The US is also imposing export restrictions on nearly 100 companies “that support Russia’s war machine through the back door.”
“We are taking measures to further reduce revenue from the Russian energy sector,” Biden said. He also instructed his team to increase support “for civil society, independent media and all those who support democracy around the globe.”
This building was completely destroyed in a Russian attack on the port city of Odessa this Friday. Image: Ukrainian Emergency Service/AP/picture alliance
Since Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the United States, the European Union (EU) and other countries have imposed numerous sanctions to weaken Russia’s military industry and reduce Moscow’s revenue from oil and gas sales. Among other things, a price cap for Russian crude oil was put into effect. On Wednesday, the 27 EU member states agreed on new punitive measures.
“Ukraine needs ammunition”
At the same time, Biden once again pointed out that Ukraine was running out of ammunition in its defensive battle. He was also referring to his government’s planned new billion-dollar military aid for Kiev, which has been delayed for weeks. The aid package with a volume of 60 billion US dollars (around 56 billion euros) has already passed the Senate. However, the opposition Republicans have a majority in the second chamber of parliament, the House of Representatives. So far it is questionable whether Chamber Chairman Mike Johnson, known as a hardliner from former President Donald Trump’s camp, will even put the bill to a vote. If not, supporters of the aid would have to take parliamentary detours to force a vote.
se/kle (afp, dpa, ap)
Ukraine before the second anniversary
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