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United States President Joe Biden ordered sanctions against two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin's recognition address. The situation comes as Moscow is still pressuring its neighbor with hundreds of thousands of troops at the border.
United States President Joe Biden's administration announced on Monday night that it will impose sanctions after Russian President Vladimir Putin's recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
The Democratic leader recently signed an executive order that would prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic regions of Ukraine.
Sanctions Against Breakaway Regions
In a statement announcing the order, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the recent sanctions were separate from the consequences that would be waiting for Russia if Moscow continues with its invasion of Ukraine.
Additionally, Psaki said that the Departments of State and Treasury will share further details of the Biden administration's course of action. The situation comes after an hour-long televised address on Monday evening where Putin said Moscow was recognizing the breakaway areas in the Donbas.
One senior Biden administration official said that Putin's address was made to justify Russians going to war. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the official said that the Russian president's speech was not about security but was an attack on the idea of a sovereign and independent Ukraine, as per CNBC.
The situation comes as the U.S. and European Union strongly condemned Putin's announcement, describing it as a violation of international law. They also called the recognition a major blow to the peace process in eastern Ukraine. Many people are concerned that it could also be a pretext for an invasion.
Ukrainian officials revealed that they have already requested that the UN Security Council convene an urgent meeting to discuss the situation. On Monday, Biden spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to condemn the Russian president's actions.
According to Axios, the three officials also discussed how they can continue to coordinate their response against Moscow's aggression. Furthermore, the Democratic president also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reaffirm that the U.S. is committed to supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Russia-Ukraine Tensions
The Biden administration also warned that Russian troops could begin their entry into the Donbas region of Ukraine as soon as Monday evening or Tuesday after Putin's address. Currently, the United States said it was still seeing preparations for a broader potential invasion that includes loading amphibious ships and equipment for airborne units.
The meeting with the UN Security Council will be an open session where all member nations, including Russia and the United States, are expected to make statements. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the American government supported Ukraine's call for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.
Despite Biden's orders, the sanctions are seen as far from devastating consequences to Russia, causing the president and officials to warn Moscow of more severe consequences. Furthermore, the U.S. is refusing to specify whether so-called "peacekeeping" forces sent from Russia to eastern Ukraine would constitute a further invasion of the country. The situation comes as officials argued that Russian forces have been operating in the Donbas region since 2014, CNN reported.
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