NEW YORK: Almost an year that Russia launched an attack calling it a special military operation–US and its allies on the war anniversary have decided to curate a major array of new sanctions against the Kremlin. A senior official on Thursday hinted “the discussions on the fresh sanctions are underway”.
“You will see around the 24th a big new package of sanctions from both the US and all of our G7 partners,” Victoria Nuland, the under secretary of state for political affairs, said while interacting with the press.
“These sanctions will deepen and broaden in certain categories where we have been active before, particularly in limiting the flow of technology to the Russian defense industry,” she added.
The new sanctions would target individuals, expand banking restrictions and slam evasion of existing sanctions, including in third countries. It is learnt that Russia has been evading sanctions smartly by importing materials through third countries and thereby enhancing their artillery.
Nuland, famous for her fierce criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, mocked Moscow’s war efforts including its prolonged struggle to capture the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. “You see the war grinding in the east in Bakhmut. Russia has declared that it is launching a new offensive. Well, if this is it, it is very pathetic, she said”.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Polish President Andrzej Duda also agreed on Thursday on the importance of stepping up support to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
Norwegian parties on Thursday backed an aid package worth 75 billion Norwegian kroner ($7.4 billion) for Ukraine to be spread out over five years. All parties in the Storting, Norway’s parliament, backed the plan that the centre-left government first presented on February 6 apart from Rodt (The Red Party), a small far-left grouping. The plan pledges 15 billion kroner annually in civilian and military aid between 2023 and 2027.