Cristian Carlos.
This Tuesday, President Biden announced tough new sanctions aimed at punishing Russia for what he called "the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine." Joining European leaders in imposing severe economic consequences for flagrant violations of national sovereignty, he condemned the Russian Federation's continued attempts to interfere with Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
From the East Room of the White House, President Joe Biden condemned Vladimir Putin for his aggression against Ukraine. "The Russian action is [...] a flagrant violation of international law and demands a strong response from the international community."
Biden said the U.S. has imposed a "total blockade" on two major Russian financial institutions and comprehensive sanctions on Russia's debt, meaning it cannot get money from any country to finance its government through Western or European markets. He also noted that the U.S. will impose sanctions on the Russian elite in an effort to ensure that those closest to Putin do not escape financial pain themselves.
U.S. President Joe Biden delivered his speech less than a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree sending troops to two Ukrainian regions controlled by separatists. Russia's parliament on Tuesday authorized the use of military force abroad, taking another step toward what Western officials fear could be a full-scale attack on Ukraine.
Western leaders said that Russian troops have already entered Ukraine in what President Biden called an "invasion.
But as the harsh global response takes shape, Biden and his counterparts have struggled to balance the need to take swift and tough action while preserving further sanctions on Russia if President Putin escalates the conflict by trying to take over the entire country - a war that could kill tens of thousands of people. Biden said he intends to increase sanctions against Putin if he goes beyond what he has done now.
U.S. President Joe Biden said that Russia "undeniably has acted against Ukraine." He went on to say that they will continue to intensify sanctions if Russia escalates its presence, meanwhile announcing the first tranche of sanctions.
