US joins EU in agreeing to freeze belongings of Russia’s Putin and Lavrov
The Biden administration has introduced that it’ll transfer to freeze the belongings of President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, following the European Union and the United Kingdom in immediately sanctioning prime Russian management.
The Treasury Department introduced the sanctions shortly after the EU mentioned it had additionally authorised an asset freeze in opposition to Mr Putin and Mr Lavrov as a part of a broader package deal of sanctions in opposition to Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.
Good alternate with @POTUS Biden on the state of affairs in Ukraine and our united response to help Ukrainians and enhance stress on Russia.
Putin should pay a excessive value for his unjustified struggle.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 25, 2022
Prime Minister Boris Johnson additionally informed Nato leaders throughout a name on Friday that Britain would transfer to impose sanctions in opposition to Mr Putin and Mr Lavrov.
It was not instantly clear how impactful an asset freeze can be on the pair, however the direct motion concentrating on the Russian president was meant to be seen as a warning to Mr Putin that he may emerge as a global pariah if he doesn’t finish the invasion of Ukraine.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki indicated the US sanctions will embrace a journey ban. President Joe Biden, who had beforehand mentioned sanctions concentrating on Mr Putin have been into account, determined to make the transfer within the final 24 hours after talks with European leaders.
The US Treasury Department is anticipated to launch extra particulars in a while Friday.
Ms Psaki mentioned the transfer is meant ship “a transparent message concerning the the power of the opposition to the actions” by the West in opposition to President Putin.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg mentioned the transfer can be “a novel step in historical past towards a nuclear energy, a rustic that has a everlasting seat on the Security Council, but additionally exhibits … how united we’re”.
It was unclear what the sensible impression on the 2 males can be and the way essential their belongings within the EU have been.
“I can guarantee you that for those who bought main belongings and unexpectedly you possibly can’t pay money for them, it’ll price you,” mentioned EU international affairs chief Josep Borrell. He didn’t present particulars.
EU ministers have mentioned that even additional sanctions have been nonetheless doable, together with booting Russia out of Swift, the dominant system for international monetary transactions.
“The debate about Swift just isn’t off the desk, it’ll proceed,” Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn mentioned.
Admonishing Russia additional, the Council of Europe suspended Russia from the continent’s foremost human rights organisation. The 47-nation council mentioned Russia remained a member and continued to be sure by the related human rights conventions.
Undeterred within the recreation of punitive sanctions, Russia began its personal tit-for-tat measures, banning British flights to and over its territory in retaliation to an analogous UK ban on Aeroflot flights.
Russian authorities additionally introduced the “partial restriction” of entry to Facebook after the social media community restricted the accounts of a number of Kremlin-backed media.
Russian state communications watchdog Roskomnadzor mentioned it demanded that Facebook raise the restrictions it positioned on Thursday on state information company RIA Novosti, state TV channel Zvezda, and pro-Kremlin information websites Lenta.Ru and Gazeta.Ru.
