The United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and other allied countries have announced the first ones sanctions against Russia. The goal is to punish Moscow after President Vladimir Putin announced the recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk and the sending of troops to the Donbass region to "guarantee the peace".
What are the European sanctions against Russia?
First, Germany blocked the construction of the gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, which should bring Russian gas directly to German territory.
The EU sanctions then provide the ban on Russian oligarchs involved in the Russian choice: the members of the Duma, who voted in favor of the recognition of independence, as well as 27 people and companies involved in the Russian decision in Ukraine. However, Putin will not be on the list of sanctioned individuals.
Besides, they will be affected too Russian banks operating in breakaway regions and it will be import-export blocked with those areas.
Then there is "the ban on the Russian state and government from accessing European financial markets, thus limiting the financing of the country's economic policies”, said the High Representative for European Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell.
More details will come with the publication of the sanctions in the Official Journal of the European Union, within the week.
What are the US sanctions on Russia?
Even the US put two major Russian banks banned. Biden then announced measures that will isolate Russia from Western capitals: “We are implementing extensive sanctions on Russian sovereign debt. This means we are cutting off the Russian government from Western funding”. The American president also spoke of sanctions measures against “Russian elites”, while the United States will continue to supplying Ukraine with “defensive weapons”. Washington has also ordered the deployment of other military forces in the Baltics, to respond to the threat posed by Russian troops remaining in Belarus
Russia's reaction
"They haven't invented anything new," said Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Lavrov, flaunting his indifference to the international community's decision.
The possible strengthening of sanctions
The approach adopted by the US and the EU is gradual: sanctions they will be strengthened if the attack already launched in the Donbass extends also in Kiev and on NATO borders.
Biden's words
"This it is the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. An open violation of international law, which requires a firm response from the international community - Biden said - Putin bizarrely claimed that the Donetsk and Lugansk regions are independent. Russia has announced that it has cut off a large chunk of Ukraine, and he is laying the groundwork for taking more territory by force. What makes Putin believe he has the right to declare new states on land that belongs to his neighbors?”
