“Who in the Lord’s name does Putin think gives him the right..” says Biden

US President now announced new sanctions against Russia, calls Putin’s moves in eastern Ukraine the “beginning of a Russian invasion”.

“Who in the Lord’s name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belongs to his neighbors?” referring to the “Russian invasion on Ukraine,” Biden said from the White House podium.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced new sanctions against Russia and called President Vladimir Putin’s moves in eastern Ukraine the “beginning of a Russian invasion”.  Biden said this after President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk and ordered Russian troops there.

Joe Biden called Vladimir Putin’s moves the “beginning of a Russian invasion” of Ukraine announcing new sanctions against Moscow.

“We are implementing full blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions: VEB and their military bank,” Biden said adding, “We are implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russia’s sovereign debt. That means we have cut off Russia’s government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and can not trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.”

Biden, further said, “We will also impose sanctions on Russia’s elites and their family members. They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well,” adding, “We have worked with Germany to ensure that Nord Stream 2 will not … move forward.”

Following Putin’s announcement, Biden on Monday signed an Executive Order that will prohibit all new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the “so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics”.

The US strongly condemned Putin’s decision to recognize the “so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” as “independent.”  However, Russia refuses to step back and Vladimir Putin says Russia’s interests are’ non-negotiable’.