JUST IN: Biden Calls for 500 New Sanctions Against Russia for Ongoing War in Ukraine and Death of Navalny
President Joe Biden appears to be making good on his promise to impose even more sanctions on Russia following the apparent assassination of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny.
The White House released a “Statement from President Joe Biden Ahead of the Two-Year Anniversary of Russia’s Brutal Assault Against Ukraine” that laid out the administration’s intentions of dealing with Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which included a call for 500 new sanctions against Russia.
Biden also is imposing new export restrictions on roughly 100 entities the White House is alleging are providing “backdoor support for Russia’s war machine.” He also called the House to pass the “bipartisan national security supplemental bill before it’s too late,” which reportedly has majority support, but Speaker Mike Johnson is refusing to hold a vote because it doesn’t include border security, which he previously said was not necessary.
Key passages from the White House statement:
Today, I am announcing more than 500 new sanctions against Russia for its ongoing war of conquest on Ukraine and for the death of Aleksey Navalny, who was a courageous anti-corruption activist and Putin’s fiercest opposition leader. These sanctions will target individuals connected to Navalny’s imprisonment as well as Russia’s financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents. They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.
We are also imposing new export restrictions on nearly 100 entities for providing backdoor support for Russia’s war machine. We are taking action to further reduce Russia’s energy revenues. And I’ve directed my team to strengthen support for civil society, independent media, and those who fight for democracy around the world.
Two years into this war, the people of Ukraine continue to fight with tremendous courage. But they are running out of ammunition. Ukraine needs more supplies from the United States to hold the line against Russia’s relentless attacks, which are enabled by arms and ammunition from Iran and North Korea. That’s why the House of Representatives must pass the bipartisan national security supplemental bill, before it’s too late.
“History is watching,” the statement concludes. “The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will not be forgotten. Now is the time for us to stand strong with Ukraine and stand united with our Allies and partners. Now is the time to prove that the United States stands up for freedom and bows down to no one.”
This statement comes on the eve of the two-year anniversary of Russia’s incursion into Ukraine.
