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Civic Register
| 2.22.22

U.S. & Allies Announce Sanctions on Russia for ‘Flagrant Violation of International Law’ in Eastern Ukraine

Do you support the new sanctions on Russia for its actions in eastern Ukraine?

What’s the story?

  • President Joe Biden joined world leaders in announcing sanctions against Russia for its recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine and deployment of military assets to the Donbas to support pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. He said that this move by Russian leader Vladimir Putin is the first step of a renewed invasion of Ukraine and is designed to set up a rationale for taking more territory from Ukraine.
  • Biden spoke from the White House and condemned Russia’s actions in “carving out a big chunk of Ukraine” as a “flagrant violation of international law” that demands a “firm response” from the international community. The president asked rhetorically, “Who in the Lord’s name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries?” 
  • Among the sanctions that will be imposed by the U.S. include “full blocking sanctions” on a pair of banks, including VEB and the Russian military bank. Comprehensive sanctions imposed on Russia’s sovereign debt will prevent Russian bonds from being traded in Western financial markets. 
  • Additional sanctions will be imposed tomorrow on Russian oligarchs and elites along with their family members. Further sanctions may be announced by the U.S. government in the days ahead as the crisis Russia has instigated in Ukraine evolves.
  • Biden also signaled in his remarks that the U.S. and NATO won’t stop shipping munitions and armaments to Ukraine. Putin has demanded that such shipments be halted, called for the “demilitarization” of Ukraine, and insisted that NATO must permanently prohibit Ukraine from joining the alliance ― terms which the U.S. and NATO have rejected.
  • Additionally, the president announced that some U.S. military personnel and equipment already in Europe will be moved to the Baltic states ― Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania ― which is intended to reassure those NATO allies and bolster their defensive capabilities. The U.S. recently deployed strike fighters to the Baltic region while Britain reinforced an armored battle group in Estonia.

Europe & Other U.S. Allies to Sanction Russia

  • Several U.S. allies and partners have signaled that new sanctions will be imposed on Russia following its recognition of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine and deployment of military forces to the Donbas region.
  • Germany announced Tuesday that it has suspended the regulatory certification for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea but hasn’t yet come online.
  • The United Kingdom announced sanctions on several Russian banks and several oligarchs in its initial tranche of sanctions against Russia.
  • The European Union announced that it will sanction 27 Russians in addition to several entities, banks, and Russia’s defense sector. Russian access to European financial markets will be curtailed. All members of Russia’s Duma, the lower parliamentary chamber, will be sanctioned by the EU with asset freezes and travel bans.
  • The U.S. has reportedly secured support from three key Asian allies ― Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore ― in imposing restrictive export controls and related sanctions against Russia that will impact its ability to access critical technologies like semiconductors. Australia is also expected to impose sanctions on Russia in the near future.
  • Finland announced that it will reassess a Russian-backed nuclear power project in its country over Russia’s actions in eastern Ukraine.


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— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: iStock.com / Dimitrios Karamitros)