As international condemnation grew, Russian President Vladimir Putin was the latest target of the sanctions for the invasion Ukraine. Diplomatic appeals were made second Saturday to inflict financial and military pain upon Moscow.
According to the Biden administration, it sent Ukraine $350 million worth of arms and other supplies from U.S. Department of Defense stockspiles. Additional $250 million was possible. Slovakia and the Czech Republic both confirmed that they were sending arms. The defense minister of Slovakia indicated that up to 1,200 troops could be sent from NATO member countries to help reassure members on the alliance’s eastern flank.
People poured out onto the streets in protest of the invasion and potential for more upheaval in cities all over the globe. French President Emmanuel Macron warned that “this war will last” and all the crises associated with it would have lasting consequences.
Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, stated Friday that the U.S. was planning individual sanctions against Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. These could include travel bans. After the European Union had announced that it would freeze Putin’s assets and Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister, told NATO leaders that his country would sanction Putin as well as Lavrov. Canada stated that it would follow suit.
Psaki stated that President Joe Biden had not planned to make any further diplomatic overtures towards Putin. However, she said, “it does NOT mean we have ruled diplomacy out forever.” She also said that the U.S. would now sanction the Russian Direct Investment Fund. This fund functions as a sovereign wealth and is meant to attract capital into the Russian economy.
The U.S. sanctions block Putin and Lavrov’s access to assets that are within the reach of U.S. officials and prohibit anyone from doing business in the United States with them. Also, members of Russia’s Security Council were sanctioned.
Dmitry Medvedev (deputy head of Russia’s Security Council) responded on Saturday that sanctions could be used by Moscow as a pretext to review its ties to the West. He suggested that Russia might cut all of them. He said, “We might look at each other with binoculars or gunsights.” He suggested that Russia could withdraw from the New START nuclear weapons control treaty, which limits U.S. nuclear arsenals.
An earlier announcement by the U.S. and European allies, asset freezes were announced and other penalties were imposed on Russia’s banks and state-owned enterprises. French Marines were sent to the English Channel area by the Maritime Prefecture on Saturday to investigate a Russian-flagged cargo ship. Veronique Magnin, a spokesperson for the Channel, stated that it was the first such incident.
EU ministers said that additional sanctions could be imposed, including the expulsion of Russia from SWIFT, which is the dominant system for international financial transactions. Separately, Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister, stated that Canada supports Russia’s expulsion from SWIFT.
As part of the U.S., EU and other countries sanctioning Russian banks and leaders and establishing export controls to starve Russia’s military and industries of high-tech products and semiconductors, countries in Asia and the Pacific joined in.
Australia said Saturday that it will impose sanctions on all 339 Russian lawmakers, as well as the eight Russian oligarchs who are close to Putin. It also plans to consider sanctions against Putin or Lavrov.
South Korea and Japan said Saturday that their foreign ministers spoke with Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary. Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Japanese Foreign Minister, declined to comment on whether Japan intends to impose sanctions against Putin or Lavrov. South Korea’s foreign minister said that Blinken thanked South Korea for its willingness to take part in international sanctions against Russia. However, he did not provide any details.
China, Russia’s only friend, has continued to condemn sanctions and accuse the U.S. of inciting Moscow. China, concerned about the rise of America in Asia, has been aligning its foreign policy more closely with Russia to counter the West.
Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov and opposition politician described sanctions that don’t directly hit Putin only as symbolic.
In an interview with Sky News, Kasparov stated that “as long as he controls hundreds and billions of dollars, and looks invincible to his cronies Russia,” any protest on Russian streets would not change anything.
