The United States and Britain on Tuesday announced new sanctions against Russia #俄乌危机 #
The United States and Britain on Tuesday (February 22) were ready to announce further sanctions against Russia. EU countries are also planning their own sanctions. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the Russian-occupied donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine as "independent states."
A senior U.S. official was reluctant to offer specific sanctions during a telephone briefing to the media monday evening. He said further U.S. measures would hold Russia accountable for the apparent violation of international law, Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Russia's own international commitments.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Traus was similar to the United States in her brief description of the sanctions that the British government would take. The representatives of France and Germany, speaking at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Monday night, also referred to the readiness to take drastic measures.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy on Tuesday called for immediate sanctions action, including a halt to the Russian-dominated Nord Stream gas pipeline, instead of waiting for further Russian aggression.
German Chancellor Schoarts told reporters that in response to Russia's actions, Germany is halting the certification process for the project to deliver natural gas from Russia to Germany.
For months, the United States and its European allies have warned of serious consequences if Russia launches an invasion of Ukraine. Russia's amassion of 150,000 troops along the Ukrainian border and military equipment has sparked fears that Russia could invade Ukraine.
Local Western diplomats and residents confirmed to VOA that Russian tanks had entered Donetsk, Ukraine, late at night. It is unclear whether the tanks were a massive operation by Russian forces or by Russian-backed militias already in the Eastern Region.
U.S. President Joe Biden announced a preliminary sanctions measure Monday in response to Putin's recognition of Ukraine's separated areas as "independent states" and ordering the deployment of so-called Russian "peacekeeping forces."
A senior Biden administration official told reporters that the first round of sanctions was specifically aimed at Russia and did not represent a "rapid and severe" economic sanctions prepared by the United States in coordination with allies and partners against Russia's further invasion of Ukraine.
Biden explicitly prohibits Americans from investing, trading and financial activities in eastern Ukraine.
