What are the sanctions that Russia has proposed for the United States?
In response to economic sanctions from the United States, Russia has announced sanctions of their own targeting US officials. Will they have an impact?
In response to sanctions imposed by the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed the Russian Foreign Ministry to create a "stop list" of US officials who are now banned from entering Russia. A Ministry press release stated that starting 15 March, Russia would bar entry to "President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, as well as several agency heads and other prominent US figures."
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The agency said that the action was taken on the "basis of reciprocity," after the US took a similar step. The statement did, however, make it clear that Russia did not mean to suggest that they "oppose maintaining official ties when it is in our national interests, and, if necessary, we will address the issues arising from the status of the black-listed individuals in order to organise high-level contacts."
Which US officials have been barred from entering Russia?
- Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.;
- Antony John Blinken;
- Lloyd James Austin III;
- Mark Alexander Milley;
- Jacob Jeremiah Sullivan, National Security Advisor;
- William Joseph Burns, Director of the CIA;
- Jennifer Rene Psaki, White House Press Secretary;
- Daleep Singh, Deputy National Security Advisor;
- Samantha Jane Power, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development;
- Robert Hunter Biden, son of the US President;
- Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, former US presidential candidate;
- Adewale Adeyemo, US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury;
- Reta Jo Lewis, President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States.
This list is quite a collection of current and former political leaders. Hillary Clinton responded with a joke by tweeting out her thanks to the "Russian Academy for this Lifetime Achievement Award."
The Foreign Ministry also announced that this step would be "taken in harmony with the major decisions of the Government of the Russian Federation in finance, banking and other areas to protect the Russian economy and ensure its stable development."
How has the White House responded?
During a press conference from the White House, Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who herself has been banned from entering Russia, was asked to for a response. When the Russian Foreign Ministry had first made the announcement, they had left out the "Jr" from President Biden's name which prompted Psaki to start by making a poking fun, saying "I would first note that President Biden is a junior, so they may — may have sanctioned his dad. May he rest in peace."
This could have been a diversion or a way to show the Kremlin that they do not take seriously this largely symbolic gesture. Psaki then followed up commenting that none of those targeted were "planning tourist trips to Russia and none of us have bank accounts that we won’t be able to access, so we will forge ahead."
Who else could be sanctioned?
The Kremlin has alluded that more US officials, celebrities, and business leaders could be barred from entering Russia, should the US escalate their diplomatic and economic sanctions.