The bulk of the sanctions, to be unveiled later Friday by the Treasury Department, were already in the works for the invasion anniversary, though a few were added this week to target those involved in Navalny’s death at an Arctic penal colony. Biden met Thursday with Navalny’s widow and daughter in San Francisco and praised her late husband’s bravery.
“Russia’s financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents,” Biden said. “They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.”
Biden, after meeting with Putin at a 2021 summit, had promised “devastating” consequences for Russia if the imprisoned opposition leader were to die. But nearly three years later, the Biden administration had already exhausted many of its tools to punish Russia – and Putin had managed to somewhat mitigate the damage felt to his nation’s economy.
The White House’s larger focus remains pushing House Republicans to advance a $95 billion Senate-approved supplemental funding measure that includes additional military aid for Ukraine. Biden, in his Friday statement, again urged the bill to pass.
Further delays, the administration has argued, will only continue to weaken Ukraine’s position on the battlefield. After retaking some of the territory Russia initially seized after its invasion two years ago, the conflict has bogged down over the past 12 months. Ukraine is in strong defensive positions across the country’s eastern flank, but as arms supplies dwindle, Russia is gaining ground.
The European Union announced Friday that it is imposing sanctions on several foreign companies over allegations that they have exported dual-use goods to Russia that could be used in its war against Ukraine. It also announced penalties for individuals involved in the kidnapping of Ukrainian children.