Biden prepares to push new sanctions on Russia before the start of the Trump era, by Reuters

Written by Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden is expected to unveil new sanctions targeting the Russian economy this week, according to a U.S. official, as part of measures to bolster Kiev’s war effort against Moscow before Donald Trump takes office.

The moves come as the Biden administration also prepares to deliver $500 million in new military aid to Ukraine on Thursday, which was to include air defense missiles, air-to-surface munitions and support equipment for F-16 fighter jets, a US official said, declining… that. To say his name.

The return of President-elect Donald Trump to the White House on January 20 raised hopes for a diplomatic solution to end the invasion of Moscow, but it also raised concerns in Kiev that a quick peace could come at a high price.

Trump’s advisers have put forward proposals to end the Ukrainian war that would effectively cede large parts of the country to Russia for the foreseeable future.

Biden aides say they want to put Ukraine in the strongest position on the battlefield to give them leverage in potential negotiations with Russia this year.

The official said there were no immediate details about the sanctions Biden would impose in his final days, but Biden aides were briefing Trump aides on the steps they were taking.

Reuters reported earlier this week that three sources said the United States was planning more sanctions targeting Russian oil revenues that help finance its war on Ukraine. One source said the sanctions would target two Russian oil companies and more than 100 Russian tankers, oil traders and insurance companies, without naming the entities.

The official said that most of the weapons and ammunition promised to Ukraine have been delivered and the rest are on the way. The official added that Ukraine’s vital ammunition stockpiles are now in a healthy condition.

The government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has regularly pushed for greater arms support than Biden was initially willing to provide but eventually did, leading to tense private standoffs over topics including Abrams tanks, F-16 fighter jets and ATACMS missile systems. Long term.

In retrospect, none of these steps resulted in significant gains for Ukraine on the battlefield, the US official said.

The US official said Ukraine may need security commitments, including potential membership in NATO, to ward off any future Russian attack after peace negotiations. Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Meanwhile, US military officials are studying North Korea’s operations in the Ukraine war to assess how they would handle any conflict in Asia. It is believed that thousands of North Korean troops are supporting the Russians in the war with Ukraine.

The US is also likely to impose sanctions on more Chinese entities over their efforts to support Russia, the official said.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Reuters last month that Washington was still seeking to reduce Russia’s oil revenues and obtain foreign supplies to fuel the war in Ukraine.