The United States announced that it will impose economic sanctions and travel restrictions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday in retaliation for their aggression against Ukraine.
“The United States will join (the European Union) in sanctioning Putin, Foreign Minister Lavrov, and the rest of the Russian security team,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said at her daily briefing. .
Washington’s sanctions come after this Friday the European Union (EU) announced the freezing of financial assets in European territory of Putin and Lavrov.
According to the White House spokeswoman, the option of sanctioning Putin has been “on the table” for some time and, in the last 24 hours, US President Joe Biden made the final decision after talks with his European allies.
The sanctions against Putin include a travel ban to the United States, Psaki said, insisting on several occasions that details would be revealed later.
Despite the US travel ban, Putin will still be able to travel to the United Nations, which is based in New York, as other officials from Iran, Venezuela and North Korea sanctioned by Washington have done in the past.
Although the White House has not given details, Washington’s economic punishment usually serves to freeze the property and financial assets of those who are sanctioned.
They are also prohibited from making financial transactions with any US citizen, which in theory makes it difficult for them to access the international financial system, based on the dollar.
However, it is unknown what assets Putin, Lavrov and other members of their security team may have under US jurisdiction.
Despite this circumstance, Psaki rejected the idea that the sanctions are a mere symbolic gesture and considered that they send “a clear message” about the strong rejection that Washington feels towards Putin and the actions he has taken in Ukraine.
After months of tensions, Russia this week launched a military operation in Ukraine that began with bombings in several urban centers and continued with the deployment of troops, so that this Friday Russian military units are tightening the siege of the country’s capital, Kiev.
In reaction to the Russian attack, Biden has hit Russia with an arsenal of sanctions and has sent thousands of troops to Europe to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank in the face of the possibility that the conflict will go beyond the borders of Ukraine, which is a member of the Alliance.