Speaking from the East Room of the White House Thursday afternoon, President Joe Biden announced he is sending additional U.S. troops to Europe to bolster support for NATO allies. He was adamant U.S. soldiers will not be going to Ukraine and will not be fighting Russian troops.
Pentagon: 7,000 U.S. troops deploying to Germany in coming days
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) February 24, 2022
Biden also announced additional banking sanctions and freezes on Russian assets in the United States. He did not announce Russia would be disconnected from the SWIFT financial system and conceded European allies -- who get much of their energy from the Kremlin -- aren't onboard with doing so. He said the goal of sanctions is to deter President Vladimir Putin from further aggression. Sanctioning Putin directly is still on the table.
President Biden sanctions four major banks in Russia: "Every asset they have in America will be frozen." pic.twitter.com/YMfcpnMtRt
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 24, 2022
Biden: No plans to ban Russia from SWIFT banking system now. “That’s not the position that the rest of Europe wishes to take.”
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) February 24, 2022
Earlier today, Ukraine’s foreign minister urged the West to ban Russia from SWIFT saying the ‘blood of innocent’ Ukrainians ‘will be on their hands’
Boris Johnson says Russia should face Swift banking sanctions now (better late than never)….but the Germans say NO.
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 24, 2022
The Germans have, however, turned the Brandenburg Gate into pretty colors for Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/18OlpTjH3f
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When asked why the U.S. isn't implementing harsher penalties for Russia as Putin wages an unprovoked war on Ukraine, Biden said, “Let’s have another conversation in another month or so to see if they are working.” He also claimed Putin wouldn't necessarily be deterred by sanctions after saying for weeks sanctions are supposed to be a deterrent.
President Biden: "He has much larger ambitions than Ukraine. He wants to in fact reestablish the former Soviet Union. That's what this is about." pic.twitter.com/7ryC5r8vAg
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 24, 2022
Biden: "No one expected the sanctions to prevent anything from happening...Putin's not going to say 'oh, my god, the sanctions are coming.'"
— John Cooper (@thejcoop) February 24, 2022
Right after a speech announcing a new round of sanctions. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/0GctfBmTba
While the Biden administration continues to say diplomacy is on the table, President Biden said today there is a "complete rupture" in U.S.-Russia relations.
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