President Joe Biden unveiled a new set of more than 500 sanctions against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine and the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
More than 500 sanctions are to be imposed on Russia. Delivering his address at the National Governors Association Winter Meeting, Biden called invasion of Ukraine a “brutal war of conquest” and Putin responsible for Alexei’s death.
Biden, who met on Thursday with Navalny’s widow in California to offer condolences, reiterated the United States’ commitment to holding Putin accountable for his actions.
“I assured them his legacy will continue to live on around the world. And we, the United States, are going to continue to ensure that Putin pays the price for his aggression abroad and repression at home,” said Biden.
Security Communications Advisor John Kirby elaborated on the extensive sanctions, revealing that over 500 targets would face repercussions for Russia’s human rights violations, repression, and military aggression.
“We sanctioned over 500 targets to impose additional costs for Russia’s repression, for their human rights abuses, and, of course, for their aggression inside Ukraine. These include a major cog in Russia’s financial infrastructure; more than two dozen third-country sanctions evaders in Europe, East Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East; and hundreds of entities in Russia’s military industrial base and other key sectors to cut off funding for Putin’s war machine,” said Kirby.
Biden urged the House to reconvene promptly, emphasizing the historic significance and lasting ramifications of supporting Ukraine in its hour of need.
“The clock is ticking. Brave Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are dying. Russia — Russia is taking Ukrainian territory for the first in many months. But here in America, the Speaker gave the House a two-week vacation,” said Biden.
“They have to come back. They have to come back and get this done, because failure to support Ukraine in this critical moment will never be forgotten in history. It will be measured, and it will have impact for decades to come.”
