U.S. promises new sanctions on Russia ahead of Ukraine war anniversary

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The Biden administration announced a "major sanctions package" against Russia to be enacted this Friday, the day before the two-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. While not detailing specific measures, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told members of the press the new sanctions are designed to "hold Russia accountable for [Russian opposition leader Alexei] Navalny's death in prison and for its actions over the course of the vicious and brutal war they have waged in Ukraine for the past two years."

Video Transcript

JOE BIDEN: I told you we'd be announcing sanctions on Russia. We'll have a major package announced on Friday. And I'll be happy to sit with you all while doing that, OK?

MATTHEW MILLER: As the White House announced this morning, at President Biden's direction, we will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday to hold Russia accountable for Navalny's death in prison and for its actions over the course of the vicious and brutal war they have waged in Ukraine for the past two years.

- Why wait until Friday?

MATTHEW MILLER: It takes time to put these sanctions packages together. There--

- Well, it's been two-- I mean, the--

MATTHEW MILLER: It has been two--

- --anniversary was coming up.

MATTHEW MILLER: And if you have watched, you have seen us roll out a significant number of sanctions packages over that two years. So it's not like we have delayed anything.

- No, no, no.

MATTHEW MILLER: But we are always looking to impose new sanctions as facts justify when we see sanctions evasion or sanction-- or activity moving to new areas and to tighten our existing sanctions. And we'll have more to say on Friday.