European Union, and U.K. issued tough economic sanctions warning that more would be imposed if Putin continues to move forward.
The crisis in Ukraine was also causing concern among governments. Stock markets dropped and oil prices rose Tuesday, as a result.
The top things you need to know Tuesday regarding the conflict in Ukraine and the security crisis within Eastern Europe
A FIRST RESPONSE
Joe Biden, President of the United States, announced that the U.S. would impose severe financial sanctions on Russia. He declared that Moscow had flagrantly violated international laws in “beginning of an invasion by Russia of Ukraine.”
Biden stated that additional sanctions were possible if Putin continues to act. The first round of sanctions includes the exclusion of two major Russian financial institutions from U.S. financial systems. These sanctions will also be used to punish Russia’s sovereign debt and five individuals who are close to Putin.
The U.S. president stated that he would be sending additional troops to the Baltic countries on NATO’s eastern flank, bordering Russia.
The European Union, U.K. and others also announced initial sanctions against Russian officials for their actions in Ukraine.
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WHAT IS HAPPENING IN EASTERN UKRAINE ON THE GROUND?
Convoys of armored vehicles were seen rolling across the Ukraine’s separatist-controlled territories late Monday. Although it wasn’t immediately known if the Russians were involved, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg stated Tuesday that “we saw last evening that additional Russian troops moved into Donbas into parts Donetsk & Lugansk.”
Putin signed a vaguely worded order late Monday to send troops into separatist territories in an attempt to “maintain peaceful coexistence.”
Russian lawmakers granted Putin permission to use military force in Ukraine on Tuesday. This could be a sign of a wider attack on Ukraine, after the U.S. declared that an invasion was underway.
Russian officials have not yet confirmed any troop deployments, but Vladislav Brg, a member the separatist local council, said to reporters that Russian troops had already moved in and taken up positions in the region’s north-west.
Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, stated to U.K. lawmakers Russian tanks were already present in eastern Ukraine.
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What is UKRAINE’S REPONSE?
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, sought to project calm. He addressed the nation in an overnight address: “We don’t fear anyone or anything.”
Some protesters, many of them wearing Ukrainian flags, gathered in front of the Russian Embassy in Kyiv. One protester held up a sign reading: “We choose Europe, not Russia.”
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WHAT DOES NATO HAVE TO SAY ABOUT RUSSIAN MOVES
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg claims Russia is taking military action towards Ukraine, and he condemns Moscow’s decision not to recognize the independence of separatist areas in southeast Ukraine.
Stoltenberg stated Tuesday that Moscow has moved away from destabilizing Ukraine through covert efforts to do so.
When asked if Russia’s actions constitute invasion, he replied that Russia had already invaded Ukraine. He also stated that Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014. This was after Russia annexed Crimea Peninsula. He said that Russia is now invading Ukraine and is threatening to invade further.
Stoltenberg stated that NATO allies have more then 100 jet planes on high-alert and more than 120 warships at sea, from the high north to Mediterranean Sea.
He stated that the NATO response force is still at high readiness, but has not been deployed yet. However, some allies are moving ships, planes, and troops into the Baltic States and the Black Sea to protect NATO allies.
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GERMANY MOVES FOR HALT GAS PIPELINE CERTIFICATION
Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that Germany has taken steps stop the certification process for the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia. He also criticized Putin’s actions regarding Ukraine as a “serious breach of international law.”
This is a major decision for the German government. They had been resisting pulling the plug on this project for a long time despite being pressed by some European countries and the United States to do so.
Scholz stated to reporters in Berlin that it was necessary to send a clear message to Moscow about the consequences of such actions. He added that it was now up to the international community to respond to the unilateral, uncomprehensible, and unjustifiable action taken by Russia’s president.
Washington has argued for years that building a pipeline to bring natural gas from Russia into Germany will increase Europe’s dependence on Russian energy supplies.
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WHAT THE UK & EUROPEAN UNION DOING
Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, says that his government has imposed sanctions on five Russian banks as well as three wealthy individuals in response to Russia’s recent military actions on Ukraine.
Johnson informed lawmakers that sanctions would be imposed on Rossiya Bank and IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank, and the Black Sea Bank.
He stated that three Russian oligarchs, Boris Rotenberg, Igor Rotenberg, and Gennady Timchenko with energy and infrastructure interests will be barred from travelling to the U.K. and their assets frozen.
Johnson claimed that Putin had “created the pretext for an offensive full-scale against Ukraine” and added, “further strong sanctions would follow, if this happened.”
High-ranking officials from the European Union stated that the bloc will impose sanctions against several Russian officials and banks funding the Russian armed forces, as part of efforts to restrict Moscow’s access financial markets and capital.
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ISN’T DIPLOMACY AVAILABLE?
Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary Of State, has announced that he will not meet with his Russian counterpart in Geneva this week. Russia is pushing ahead with its recognition of the separatist areas of Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Blinken stated to reporters that Russia’s actions showed Moscow wasn’t serious about finding a diplomatic solution to the crisis. According to him, his Thursday meeting with Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister, was canceled.
Blinken, echoing President Joe Biden’s words, said that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s decision not to recognize Ukraine’s independence from the Donbass was an international violation of international law. He also stated that the Russian deployment of troops in Donbass was a sign of invasion.
He expressed hope for a peaceful solution through diplomacy but Blinken stated that he didn’t believe that a meeting would produce any results at this point.
Biden and Putin had previously tentatively agreed to a meeting that was mediated by the French President Emmanuel Macron as a last-ditch attempt to avoid war. However, its prospects are uncertain given recent developments. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, said that it was premature to discuss specific plans for a summit.