·
US, EU,
UK, Switzerland, Australian, Japan, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan Lead the Patch
Several countries and the European Union have imposed a
variety of sanctions in response to Vladimir V. Putin’s decision to invade
Ukraine.
The United States, the European Union and several other
countries and entities have expanded their economic sanctions against Russia as
punishment for its invasion of Ukraine.
The first actions in the most recent crisis were taken
after President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia signed decrees on Feb. 21
recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk, two pro-Russian breakaway regions in eastern
Ukraine, and then later ordered troops to enter those areas.
The multipronged invasion began in earnest on Thursday,
prompting the West to widen its efforts to crack down on Russia by targeting
Mr. Putin’s top allies, the country’s banking system and its access to crucial
technology, although some analysts have said the measures do not go far enough.
Here is a closer look at some of the measures that have
been taken so far:
Feb. 22: The Biden administration announced that it would
impose sanctions on Russia’s main development bank, VEB, and its military bank,
Promsvyazbank, and enact comprehensive curbs on
Russia’s sovereign debt, a move intended to cut off the country from Western
financing.
Feb. 23: President Biden said he would impose economic
sanctions on the company behind Nord Stream 2 — a nearly 800-mile-long natural
gas pipeline that is not yet operational between Russia and Germany. A day
earlier, Germany mothballed the project, even though it relies on Russia for 55
percent of its gas needs. The target of the sanctions is a subsidiary of
Gazprom, Russia’s state-controlled energy company.
Feb. 24: President Biden said the
United States would cut off Sberbank and VTB Bank,
two of Russia’s largest banks, and several large companies from Western financial markets. He also announced sweeping
restrictions on technological imports, and said that the United States was freezing trillions of dollars in
Russian assets, expanding a crackdown on Russian elites and their families.
Feb. 25: The United States moved
to personally penalize President Vladimir V. Putin and Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s
foreign minister, imposing sanctions aimed at freezing their assets. The new
measures also targeted other national security officials.
Feb. 26: The Biden administration and key allies
announced that they would remove
some Russian banks from the SWIFT financial messaging system, essentially banning them from international
transactions. They also said they would impose new restrictions on Russia’s
central bank to prevent it from using its large international reserves to
undermine sanctions. The actions were agreed to by the European Commission,
Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United States.
Feb. 28: The Treasury Department announced that it would freeze
assets of the Russian central bank that are held in the United States and impose sanctions on the Russian
Direct Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund that is run by a close ally of
Mr. Putin’s.
March 1: President Biden announced during his State of
the Union address that the United States would
ban Russian aircraft from flying through American airspace.
March 2: The Biden administration said that it would
impose sanctions on several Russian military organizations and take action to
stem the flow of important technologies to Russian oil refineries. The Commerce
Department said it
had extended to Belarus the same restrictions the United States placed on Russia on Feb. 24,
preventing items like technology and software from being routed through Belarus
to restricted sectors in Russia.
March 3: The Biden administration said it would impose
sanctions on eight individuals with close ties to Mr. Putin, including his
spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, and place visa
restrictions on several oligarchs, as well as their family members and close
associates.
March 8: President Biden announced a ban
on the importation of Russian oil, coal and natural gas into the United States. The move effectively shuts off
the flow of Russian fuel into the country, which receives less than 10 percent
of its energy resources from Russia.
March 11: In a coordinated move with leaders of the
European Union and other Group of 7 countries, President
Biden announced that the United States would strip the country of normal trade
relations. He also moved to
impose new economic sanctions on members of the Russian elite and cut off
additional avenues of trade between the United States and Russia, banning
lucrative imports like seafood, vodka and certain diamonds. The United States
will also restrict exports to Russia and Belarus of luxury items like high-end
watches, vehicles, alcohol, jewelry and apparel.
March 24: The United States hit Russia with a new round
of sanctions, targeting
328 members of the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s Federal Assembly. They also include Russian defense companies such as
Tactical Missiles Corporation JSC, which makes weapons systems. The Treasury
Department issued new guidance to make clear that transactions involving
Russia’s $130 billion of gold reserves were also subject to U.S. sanctions,
blunting the country’s ability to use the gold to prop up its currency.
Feb. 23: The European Union adopted
a first round of economic sanctions targeting 27
individuals and entities,
including political, military, business and financial organizations, as well as
people linked to the decision to recognize the so-called republics of Donetsk
and Luhansk. The penalties include European Union-wide asset freezes and travel
bans. The sanctions also prevent Russian state and regional governments,
including state banks, from accessing European Union financial and capital
markets, freeze the assets of three banks linked to the separatist enclaves and
extend trade bans that have been placed on Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula that
Russia annexed in 2014.
Feb. 25: European leaders approved
a new set of sanctions,
freezing the assets of President Vladimir V. Putin and Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister. The European Union will
also ban the export of aircraft and spare parts that are necessary for the
maintenance of Russian fleets, as well as specialized oil-refining technology
and semiconductors. Additional measures will penalize Russian banks and elites.
Feb. 28: The European Union adopted new measures to
finance the purchase and delivery of weapons to Ukraine. The bloc also
announced a total closure of E.U. airspace to all Russian aircraft and a ban on
transactions with the Russian central bank.
March 2: The bloc banned the Kremlin-funded global
broadcaster RT and the news agency Sputnik from European airwaves, while also
excluding seven Russian banks from the SWIFT financial messaging system.
March 9: The European Union said that it
was updating its sanctions against Russia and Belarus over the invasion of Ukraine, adding more names to its
long list of penalized individuals. The update also bars several Belarusian
banks from SWIFT and extends its definition of sanctions to include
cryptocurrencies, an attempt to close a potential loophole for individuals or
businesses to continue transactions with the rest of the world.
March 11: In a joint move with the United States and
other Group of 7 countries, the bloc said that it would strip Russia of normal
trade relations.
March 15: The E.U. imposed a fourth package of punishing
measures against Russia, including a ban on imports of Russian iron and steel,
and sanctions on several individuals with ties to the country’s defense sector.
Feb. 22: The British government slapped targeted economic
sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals with close ties
to President Vladimir V. Putin. Their British assets were frozen, they were
barred from traveling to the country, and British citizens and businesses in
Britain would be prohibited from having any dealings with them.
Feb. 24: Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced an
expansion of British sanctions to apply to 100 companies, entities and
oligarchs. Five more individuals were barred from the country and had their
assets frozen, and the government imposed other measures against all major
Russian banks, among other things.
Feb. 28: The British government banned its country’s
financial institutions from conducting transactions with the Russian central
bank as well as with its foreign ministry and sovereign wealth fund.
March 1: Liz Truss, the British foreign secretary,
announced measures directed at Belarus for involvement in Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine, imposing sanctions on four senior defense officials and two military
enterprises.
March 3: Britain announced a full asset freeze and a
travel ban on Alisher Usmanov
and Igor Shuvalov, two oligarchs with links to Mr.
Putin and significant financial interests in the United Kingdom.
March 8: Britain said it would phase out imports of
Russian oil by the end of the year, a move coordinated with the United States.
The action does not affect Russian gas supplies and will give oil importers
several months to make alternative plans to try to avoid any disruption in
Britain.
March 10: The British government added
seven more oligarchs to its sanctions list, including Roman Abramovich,
owner of the Chelsea soccer club. Mr. Abramovich now
faces a travel ban, barring him from Britain, as well as an asset freeze that effectively
takes control from him of Chelsea, which he has said he was trying to sell.
March 11: Ms. Truss said that Britain had placed a travel
ban and asset freeze on 386 members of the Duma, Russia’s lower house of
Parliament, who voted to recognize the Ukrainian breakaway regions of Luhansk
and Donetsk. In a joint move with the European Union, the United States and
other Group of 7 countries, Britain also announced that it would strip Russia
of normal trade relations.
March 15: The British government said that it had
imposed sanctions on more than 370 individuals it described as oligarchs, political allies or
propagandists for President Putin. Among those on the latest list: Dmitri A.
Medvedev, the former president of Russia; Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin; Dmitri S. Peskov, the
Kremlin press secretary; Maria Zakharova, a
spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry; Sergei Shoigu,
the defense minister; and Mikhail Fridman, the
billionaire founder of Alfa Bank, one of Russia’s largest private banks.
March 24: Britain imposed sanctions on an additional 65
Russian companies and individuals, including the Wagner Group, a private
military force with ties to Mr. Putin. Among the other targets are Polina Kovaleva, the glamorous
stepdaughter of Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov,
and Galina Danilchenko, who was installed by Russian
forces as a puppet mayor in the Ukrainian city of Melitopol.
Feb. 28: Switzerland, a favorite destination for Russian
oligarchs and their money, announced that it would freeze Russian financial
assets in the country, setting aside a deeply rooted tradition of neutrality.
March 4: The Swiss Federal Council extended the country’s
list of sanctions against Russia, restricting the export of certain goods,
banning transactions with the Russian central bank and joining others in cutting
the country off from the SWIFT payment system.
Feb. 23: Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia
would impose travel bans and financial sanctions on eight members of Russia’s
national security council, while amending existing
sanctions that prohibit trade in sectors including transport, oil and gas to
cover Donetsk and Luhansk. He also announced a ban prohibiting Australians from
doing business with five Russian banks.
Feb. 24: The Australian government announced that it
would expand its sanction list to target 25 Russian military figures and four
military technology companies, and that it was moving to place restrictions on
Australians investing in four financial institutions.
On the ground. Ukraine’s counteroffensive appeared
to be gaining momentum, with
the military hitting Russian targets and claiming
territorial gains. Their progress
underscores Russia’s flawed execution of the invasion, amid supply shortages
and demoralizing
conditions for its soldiers.
Biden in Europe. President Biden is currently in Poland, after a
day of summits with world leaders in Brussels. During his visit, he plans to highlight the humanitarian
catastrophe in Ukraine by meeting with
people who have fled to
escape the fighting.
Weaning off Russian
fuel. President Biden and
European leaders announced
a deal to increase U.S. shipments of natural gas to help make Europe less dependent on Russian energy. European
Union countries also agreed to jointly buy and store gas, a move that could increase their bargaining power.
Possible use of weapons
of mass destruction. NATO
allies agreed to provide Ukraine with support to
deal with fallout from a possible Russian attack using chemical, biological or
nuclear weapons. The alliance also
said it was increasing its own preparedness for any such event.
Feb. 28: The Australian government imposed sanctions on
more than 350 Russians and 13 Belarussians, Mr. Morrison said. Included on that
list is Viktor Khrenin, the Belarusian minister of
defense.
March 8: Marise Payne, the
Australian foreign minister, announced that the government had placed new
sanctions on 10 individuals with ties to Russia’s military establishment.
March 11: Australia announced it would prohibit the
import of oil, natural gas, coal and other energy products from Russia.
March 14: The Australian government today imposed new
sanctions on 33 Russian oligarchs, prominent businesspeople and their immediate
family members. Among those on the list are Roman Abramovich,
the owner of the Chelsea soccer club; Igor Shuvalov,
the chairman of Russia’s main development bank, VEB; and Kirill Dmitriev, the chief executive of the state-controlled
Russian Direct Investment Fund.
Feb. 22: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that a
first round of sanctions against Russia would ban Canadians from purchasing
Russian sovereign debt and from financial dealings with Donetsk and Luhansk.
Financial penalties will also apply to members of the Russian Parliament who
voted for the decision to recognize the separatist regions.
Feb. 24: Mr. Trudeau said that the Canadian government
would target 58 individuals and entities, including members of the Russian
elite and major Russian banks, with economic sanctions. Canada will also cease
granting export permits for Russia.
Feb. 28: Chrystia Freeland, the
Canadian deputy prime minister and minister of finance, announced that all
Canadian financial institutions would be banned from engaging in transactions
with the Russian central bank. The government has also imposed an asset freeze
on Russian sovereign wealth fund.
March 7: Mr. Trudeau said that Canada had imposed
sanctions against 10 more Russian individuals, including current and former
senior government officials, oligarchs and supporters of Russian leadership.
March 11: The Canadian prime minister said the government
had added five new Russian oligarchs, including Roman Abramovich,
owner of the Chelsea soccer club, to Canada’s list of sanctions, freezing their
assets and barring them from doing business in the country. The federal
government is also banning 32 Russian companies and government entities from
receiving military equipment from Canada. In a joint announcement with the European
Union, the United States and other Group of 7 countries, the Canadian
government also said that it would strip Russia of normal trade relations.
March 15: Canada said it had imposed sanctions on 15
senior Russian officials.
Feb. 23: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
pushed through a package of sanctions prohibiting Russia from issuing new sovereign bonds in
Japanese markets, banning any trade with Donetsk and Luhansk, and freezing the
assets of representatives of those republics and barring them from receiving
visas.
Feb. 28: Mr. Kishida said he
was adding more sanctions against Russia, including limits on central bank
transactions. Mr. Kishida said that given Belarus’s
apparent collusion with Russia in its attacks on Ukraine, Japan would also add
President Alexander G. Lukashenko of Belarus and other individuals to a list of
those targeted by Japanese financial sanctions and restrict exports to Belarus.
March 3: The Japanese government announced that it would
freeze the assets of several Russian oligarchs with ties to President Vladimir
V. Putin.
March 8: Japan slapped economic sanctions on 32 Russian
and Belarusian individuals, including Mr. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov.
March 11: In a joint announcement with the European
Union, the United States and other Group of 7 countries, the Japanese
government said that it would strip Russia of normal trade relations.
March 15: Japan added 17 Russian individuals to its list
of individuals penalized by sanctions, including several members of the Duma,
Russia’s lower house of Parliament.
March 18: Japan said it would impose sanctions on an
additional 15 individuals and nine organizations from Russia. The list includes
defense officials, a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman and a state-owned arms export
agency, Rosoboronexport.
Feb. 28: Singapore announced that it was imposing
sanctions on Russia. The country’s minister for foreign affairs, Vivian Balakrishnan, announced in Parliament that Singapore “will
also block certain Russian banks and financial transactions connected to
Russia.”
Feb. 28: South Korea is banning the export of some
strategic materials to Russia as part of its sanctions against the country. It
has also joined in excluding Russia from the SWIFT financial messaging system.
Feb. 25: The government of Taiwan, the self-ruling island
over which China claims sovereignty, announced that it was imposing economic
sanctions against Russia.