Crisis in Ukraine: US-EU sanctions on Russia – Lavrov-Blinken meeting canceled

Fire in the geopolitical chessboard put the Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize Lugansk and Donetsk in the East Ukraine. Sanctions announced by the US and Russia.

The Russian president is putting stifling pressure on Ukraine, setting conditions for not conducting military operations that will challenge other territories, while Kiev is turning its eyes to the West for support.

EU and US announce sanctions on Moscow which will be limited mainly to the economic field, while what will judge the developments of the coming days is Putin’s moves beyond rhetoric.

As of Tuesday morning, the Ukrainians have been sending to the breakaway regions to strengthen their presence, however there are no attacks alone, as reported by MEGA and journalist Giannis Charamidis who are in Kiev.

More than 100 trucks with Russian soldiers are heading to the border

At least 100 trucks full of Russian soldiers headed to the border with Ukraine in the Belgorod region of Russia, an eyewitness told Reuters.

Vladimir Putin has said he has no plans to send troops directly to Donbass in his remarks following the green light given by parliament to use the army abroad.

The Lavrov-Blinken meeting was canceled

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister went to Washington, where he met with Anthony Blinken, and in the joint press conference that took place later, it was decided that there is no subject for discussion of the meeting, with the result that the cancellation of the meeting.

As he said, the American minister, “we will not give Russia the opportunity to pretend to talk while actively progressing in scaling operations in the field in Ukraine. Putin dieminyse that recognizes the breakaway regions constitutional limits something which in the US translates as a declaration of war.

Biden Discourse: These are the sanctions against Russia – We do not want war

The American president with his new sermon Joe Biden announced yesterday (22/2) sanctions against Russia in response to the moves of Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding Ukraine with the intensity has escalated dangerously in the area.

The Russian president recalled that he had asked for and received parliamentary approval for the use of the Russian army abroad, with Putin, however, stating, according to Reuters, that he had not said he would send an army directly to Donbas.

Earlier, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Reuters that the country would continue to work closely with Ukraine and that Putin could still avoid a “full-scale war of choice” in Ukraine.

The Biden sermon

The American president, then, at his sermon announced the imposition of sanctions on the “Russian elite” and two Russian banks, blaming Vladimir Putin’s Russian counterpart for the situation in Ukraine.

The US president said Putin had directly attacked “Ukraine’s right to exist” but added that “there is still time” to avoid a worst-case scenario and that the US and its allies remain “Open to diplomacy”.

Biden assured that the US will defend “every point” of NATO territory and will continue to provide “defensive” weapons to Ukraine, while he also approved the deployment of US forces in the Baltic states.

Specifically, the sanctions concern:

• Two major credit institutions, VEB Bank and Military Bank.
• The financial blockade of Moscow both in the withdrawal of money from Western banks and in the exchange of currency in the US and EU markets.
• The “freezing” of Nord Stream 2, in agreement with Germany.
• Military aid to Ukraine. The US military will remain in Ukraine and will continue to equip it militarily.

Among other things, Joe Biden said: “Russia announced that it was taking a part of Ukraine, that is what Putin did yesterday with what he said. I know he builds a logic to move on. This is, in essence, the beginning of the Russian invasion. We are prepared to proceed with sanctions. Who gives the right to declare two independent regions of another country as independent? For God’s sake. Today, therefore, I announce the first package of sanctions against Russia, they are economic – commercial and will concern persons, companies and goods that are useful in its industry. We will continue to escalate sanctions as long as Russia escalates its actions.

We have no intention of fighting Russia. We do not want war. We want to work with our partners to defend those who are under attack. I hope I am wrong but I believe that Russia will escalate its actions against Ukraine. We will defend every inch of NATO territory. Russian forces have taken a stand to attack.

“We have coordinated with NATO and Europe, Russia will pay the price.”