US to impose sanctions on Putin following Ukraine invasion
The European Union, United Kingdom and Canada also announced Friday that they would introduce sanctions targeting Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the US move to sanction Putin and Lavrov, which was first reported by CNN, was made in the last 24 hours in coordination with European allies.
“It’s been on the table for some time, but through coordination and discussion with our European partners over the last day or so,” Psaki said when asked for details on the timing of the decision.
The decision to target Putin directly across Western allies marks the most personal escalation of a sweeping effort to respond to Russia’s actions through economic penalties. While it’s unclear the extent of the direct effect — officials have long said Putin’s finances are opaque and difficult to track — the symbolism of targeting the Russian leader is clear.
Psaki also said she “believes” a travel ban of some kind will be included in the US sanctions against the Russian President, but she did not have specific details yet.
“There are very limited examples of of this being done, as you all know, but that is a standard part,” she said.
President Joe Biden had said sanctioning Putin had been an option under consideration, telling CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Thursday it was “on the table.”
As part of its first two rounds of sanctions, the US targeted key members of Putin’s inner circle, both in government and in business. But in what would mark a new strategy, they also expanded sanctions to the adult children of several of the officials.
It was a calculated effort to cut off what officials say has been a pathway utilized by Russian officials to shield their wealth by transferring it to family members.
On Friday evening, the Biden administration announced that several members of Russia’s National Security Council will also be sanctioned, including Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov.
“Treasury has previously designated eleven members of the Russian Security Council and will continue to impose costs on the ruling elite as Russia prosecutes this brutal war of choice,” a US Treasury Department statement said.
The EU and UK have also targeted a series of Russian officials.
Earlier this week, the US also allowed sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany to go forward, after Germany said it would not certify the pipeline following the Russian invasion.
Those sanctions were issued in coordination with European countries to punish Moscow for its attack on Ukraine.
But the White…
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