PRESIDENT Joe Biden has announced new sanctions against Russia after President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine.
Biden said more US troops will head to Baltic ally states as new financial sanctions against Russia will affect two financial institutions, Russian sovereign debt, and Russian elites.
Biden detailed the sanctions on Tuesday in his third news conference within a week.
It came after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops over the Russian border in a dramatic escalation of tensions.
In a further chilling development today, Russia’s parliament voted to allow Putin to use armed forces abroad.
The much-feared Russian advance began in the early hours, soon after Putin announced he recognized Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states in a bombastic TV address.
Read our Joe Biden speech live blog for the latest news and updates…
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Biden says US moves are ‘totally defensive’
Biden made it clear in his news conference that he wants to deescalate any conflict with Russia.
“Let me be clear, these are totally defensive moves on our part,” the US president said when announcing troops already in Europe would strengthen our Baltic allies.
“We have no intention of fighting Russia.”
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‘First tranche’ of US sanctions
President Joe Biden said US sanctions against Russia will affect two financial institutions, Russian sovereign debt, and Russian elites and their family members.
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Biden on Russia stockpiling blood supplies
Biden said in his news conference that “You don’t need blood unless you plan on starting a war.”
The comment came in response to Russia reportedly stockpiling blood supplies at the Ukrainian border.
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Biden warns of Russia taking more territory
President Joe Biden called Putin’s move of claiming two territories are no longer part of Ukraine “bizarre.”
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Biden: ‘Hoping diplomacy is still available”
President Joe Biden said while the United States is ready to respond with “unity, clarity and conviction,” he hopes diplomacy is still an option.
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Biden addresses rising costs
Biden said defending freedom will have a cost “for us as well, and here at home.”
He addressed the risk of rising costs as the conflict with Russia escalates.
“I’m going to take robust action to make sure the pain of our sanctions is targeted to the Russian economy, not our’s,” Biden said.
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Biden: ‘Putin poised to go much further’
President Joe Biden said Putin is poised to go much further, which would mean more sanctions.
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Biden: Defensive assistance to Ukraine will continue
Biden said the United States has no intention of fighting Russia but the US will continue to provide defensive assistance to Ukraine.
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Biden says sanctions will escalate
Biden announced sanctions against two Russian financial institutions, along with Russia’s elite and their family members.
He said the sanctions will escalate depending on Russia’s next moves.
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Biden takes the stage
President Joe Biden has begun his news conference at 11.23am by detailing Putin’s declaration of independent territories in Ukraine.
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PM calls for moving Champions League soccer final
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants the Champions League soccer final to be moved from Russia as part of sanctions imposed for the “invasion” of Ukraine.
The match is scheduled to take place at the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on May 28.
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Trump blames Biden for invasion
In a statement on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump blasted Biden for the “invasion” by Russia.
“I know Vladimir Putin very well, and he would have never done during the Trump Administration what he is doing now, no way!” Trump said.
“If properly handled, there was absolutely no reason that the situation currently happening in Ukraine should have happened at all.”
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What has Ukraine said?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an overnight address to the country: “We are not afraid of anyone or anything.”
It came as protesters flocked to the Russian Embassy in Kyiv with one holding a sign that said: “We choose Europe not Russia.”
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European Union agrees on sanctions
The 27 members of the European Union agreed to sanction Russian officials involved in Ukraine.
The sanction package will affect Russian leaders who voted against Ukraine’s sovereignty, along with 27 people and entities.
Josep Borrell, EU foreign affairs chief, said on Tuesday that the initial sanctions “will hurt Russia and it will hurt a lot.”
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Which regions did Putin declare independent?
Putin declared the Ukrainian provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk “independent” and Russian tanks have since rolled in.
President Biden responded by imposing sanctions on the separatist regions that effectively cut off trade, finance, and investment to the provinces.
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Sanctions targeting gas pipeline
Putin’s move into Ukraine caused Germany to pause work on the multi-billion-pound Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
The undersea pipeline, meant to ferry natural gas from Russia to northern Germany, is owned by a subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned Gazprom.
Berlin has been reluctant to impose sanctions that would affect Nord Stream 2.
At a press conference, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that “the situation today is fundamentally different and therefore, in light of recent events, we must also reassess this situation … also with regard to Nord Stream 2.”
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Russian troops gather at Ukraine borders
An estimated 150,000 Russian troops gathered at the Ukraine borders in the weeks ahead of Putin’s move into the country.
While calling the deployment of troops into eastern Ukraine an “invasion,” the White House also noted Russia has occupied breakaway regions since 2014.
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Putin’s demands
Putin detailed two additional conditions that could end the crisis, aside from Ukraine renouncing its bid to join NATO.
The other two conditions include Kyiv recognizing Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea and partially demilitarizing, The Associated Press reported.
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When is Biden scheduled to speak?
President Joe Biden was set to address the United States on the situation in Ukraine at 1pm ET.
His remarks have been delayed with the news conference yet to begin.
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Putin calls for Ukraine to drop NATO bid
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the “best” solution to the Ukraine crisis would include Kyiv dropping its NATO membership ambitions and staying neutral.
Putin’s comments came after the upper house of the Russian parliament gave him permission to use the nation’s army abroad.
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Russian banks sanctioned
Five Russian banks are being sanctioned by the UK, including Rossiya, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank, and the Black Sea Bank.
Three uber-rich oligarchs close to the Kremlin, Gennady Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg, will also be sanctioned.
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Fears of ‘World War 3’
As tensions between Russia and the West continue to rise, many fear the crisis in Ukraine could develop into a wider armed conflict.
Russian president Vladimir Putin’s decision to order troops over the Russian border marks the start of a much-anticipated invasion of Ukraine, as the world holds a collective breath, waiting to see how the West responds.
Officials have warned that escalation of the crisis may see the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War Two, leading to thousands of civilian deaths and sparking a significant refugee crisis in Europe.
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US moves embassy amid fears
The US moved all embassy staff out of Ukraine after Vladimir Putin ordered troops into the country’s rebel-held territories.
Bloomberg’s senior White House reporter, Jennifer Jacobs, tweeted: “The Biden admin has ordered all remaining State Department personnel out of Ukraine.
“The embassy had previously relocated from Kyiv to the western city of Lviv. Now they are shifting to Poland.”
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What has Putin said of the ‘invasion’?
The Russian president declared that the neighboring nation of Ukraine “belongs to Russia” as he followed through on promises to seize territory given up by the country in the fall of the Soviet Union.
Putin signed a decree recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk rebel republic in east Ukraine in a move which destroyed peace hopes.
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UK’s response
The United Kingdom has also announced sanctions in response to Putin’s move into Ukraine.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Tuesday that sanctions were imposed on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals following Putin’s decision to recognize two separatist republics.
Johnson was quoted as saying Putin was “establishing the pretext for full scale invasion” of Ukraine.
