US President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that he took heavy financial punishments against Russian banks and oligarchs, declaring that Moscow had flagrantly violated international law by invading Ukraine.
“Any of us will be deceived” by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claims about Ukraine, US president says in a national White House address. And he said more penalties could be on the way if Putin goes further.
Biden said he was also moving additional US troops in the Baltic States on NATO eastern flank bordering Russia.
Biden joined the 27 members of the European Union who unanimously agreed on Tuesday to impose its own initial set of sanctions targeting Russian officials over their actions in Ukraine.
“We are implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russia, including Russian elites and family members; The Nord Stream 2 pipeline will not be move forward,” he also added.
“We are executing a plan in coordination with major oil consumers and producers towards collective investment to ensure stability and global energy supplies. »
Biden also said there was still time to avoid the “worst-case scenario” of a bloody full in russian scale invasion of Ukraine through diplomacy.
“There is no doubt that Russia is the aggressor, so we are clear- eyes on the challenges were facing“, said Biden.
“Nevertheless, there is still time to avoid the worst-case scenario that will bring untold suffering to millions of people if they move as suggested.”
“We have no intention of fight Russia. But we want for give a message,” he said.
“We will defend every inch of NATO territory. The United States and its allies remain open to diplomacy; I hope diplomacy is still available.”
On Monday, Putin ordered a ‘peacekeeping operation’ in The Ukrainian regions of Lugansk and Donetsk after recognizing the independence of the separatist regions, opening the way to provide them more military support – a direct challenge to the West which will fuel fears that Russia may imminently invade Ukraine.
The neat staging move announced in the Kremlin could lead for new punishments on Russia and the flies in the face of European efforts for a diplomatic solution to the escalating crisis, which has brought East-West relations to a new weak and threatened trade. Great Britain prime minister called it a “violation of international law.”
He came in the middle of a spike in skirmishes in eastern regions that Western powers believe Russia could use as a pretext for a attack on Western-looking democracy that defied Moscow’s attempts to snatch it back in son orbit.
In a far-reaching pre-recorded speech, Putin justified son decision blame NATO for the current crisis and calling the US-led alliance a menace existential for Russia. Swipe through more one century of history, he painted today’s Ukraine as a modern construction inextricably linked to Russia. He accused Ukraine of inheriting historical lands from Russia and the West used the Soviet collapse to contain Russia.
