By Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
Washington, 27th Feb. White House confirmed that President Biden’s administration is imposing sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry Maria Zharkova.
The U.S., the European Union, and other western allies have announced a series of sanctions on Russia.
Biden’s announcement to impose sanctions on President Putin directly came after a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has expressed frustration that the U.S. and other democratic nations were leaving his country’s military “all alone” to fight the Russian onslaught.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on Friday that the administration was imposing individual sanctions on Putin
Biden has also unveiled penalties aimed toward Russian elites and financial institutions, including the state-owned VTB Bank.
U.S. sanctions targeting Putin himself mark an escalation in the international response to the Kremlin since its military aggression began days earlier.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that NATO agreed to activate its Response Force for the first time ever in a defensive capacity to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The NATO Response Force consists of 40,000 highly trained and combat ready soldiers from NATO countries, but Stoltenberg said only part of the force was being called up.
NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Tod Wolters said the alliance has “operationally aligned its maritime, land, air, space, and cyber forces to defend our NATO sovereignty.”
Wolters said the troops “represent a flexible, combat credible force that can be employed in multiple ways and we are utilizing fully their inherent agility.”
“As NATO establishes this enhanced vigilance on the alliance’s eastern flank, allied military forces will posture and exercise to increase our readiness and interoperability,” he said.
“Your soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines stand ready to protect every meter of Allied territory.”
The announcement followed an emergency meeting of the leaders of all NATO member states, as well as the leaders of Sweden, Finland and the European Union.
Biden has pledged that he will not send American troops into Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO. But as fighting in Ukraine intensifies, NATO states bordering the besieged country are on high alert.
US President Joe Biden has been clear that US troops are deploying to eastern Europe to help bolster NATO countries nervous about Russia’s aggressive actions, and they will not be fighting in Ukraine.
“This is an historic moment and the very first time the Alliance has employed these high readiness forces in a deterrence and defense role. They represent a flexible, combat credible force that can be employed in multiple ways and we are utilizing fully their inherent agility,” Wolters said in a statement
“These deterrence measures are prudent and enhance our speed, responsiveness and capability to shield and protect the one billion citizens we swore to protect.”
The force has not yet deployed but is on standby. It’s not clear how many troops the response force will contain.
The entire NATO Response Force is 40,000 troops but Stoltenberg did not say how many would be activated, telling reporters “we are deployment elements” of the force.
In a message released Friday morning, Zelensky thanked NATO for its support but urged the alliance to do more, lamenting the fact that Ukraine was left to fend for itself.
“We are alone in defending our country. Who is ready to defend us together with us? Honestly, I don’t see any,” Zelensky said. “Who is ready to give Ukraine a guarantee of NATO? Honestly, everyone is afraid.”
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