Posted on 02/25/2022 1:06:05 PM PST by Loyalist
The EU will freeze the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, as part of a sanctions package set for approval Friday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell confirmed on Friday.
They will not, however, be banned from traveling to the EU, according to four diplomats.
"This is an important step," Borrell said in brief remarks, noting that the only other world leaders under EU sanctions are Bashar al-Assad in Syria and Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus.
The move comes as the EU faces pressure from Ukraine to ratchet up its penalties on Moscow, with Russian troops closing in on Kyiv and threatening to topple the government. The Financial Times first reported the decision.
It also comes shortly after EU leaders approved what they called a "massive and painful" package of economic penalties in response to Moscow's shocking military assault on its neighbor.
The punishments cut off large portions of the Russian economy from EU markets. But the package did not bar Russia from the SWIFT international payments system, used for global business transactions, nor did it target Putin and some of his closest advisers, like Lavrov.
As of Friday afternoon, that had changed.
The possibility of sanctioning Putin and Lavrov was discussed during the EU leaders’ emergency summit meeting held overnight Thursday into Friday.
While several leaders pushed for the penalties, others had doubts. A compromise was floated that involved freezing their assets but holding off on a travel ban. That arrangement got the final green light Friday morning.
But seriously folks....
How unserious can get the EU get by freezing their bank accounts but not banning their travel?
Their biggest asset is Biden. The EU is going to Freeze Biden.
Putin got his boat out of there in the nick of time.
EU banking moves....
Napoleon and others could have told the enemies, never battle Russia in the winter. They’ll freeze your assets off.
Guess this is an attempt at turnabout.
I was just going to say, “right after he moved his yacht”
Who believes that Putin or anyone in power in Russia have their "assets" anywhere near the Western banking system?
More BS and gaslighting.
Their library cards are also officially revoked.
Symbolism over Substance.
Yes, that’s what I’d think.
Putin probably does keep some so that they can freeze something.
Cut Russia all the way off. Period.
The days when people could easily hide large amounts of assets in places like the Cayman Islands or Panama or Cyprus are pretty much over.
The US and the EU have over time pretty much broken this system of offshoring assets.
They could locate pretty much anything financial if they decide to focus on it.
I don't think popular perception has caught up to just how much financial surveillance and control the US/EU have over financial assets.
You win the thread!
If the yacht sails to a Russian port, it will be fine. If Putin had it sailed to an EU or Mediterranean port, it will probably be impounded. Since it just left Germany, It can’t have gone too far. Wonder if it could be seized in international waters?
Other than for a headline, its not really important in the big picture.
Biden, 2019: "Imagine what can happen in the Ukraine" if Trump is reelected.
where they gonna go?
The more phony actions like this, the more the west shows how weak we are, the more emboldened Putin becomes. Then CNN and MSNBC acccuse everyone of pointing this out as supporting Putin.
I have heard that they are not putting any sanctions whatsoever on aluminum imports from Russia in Canada. Apparently business still trumps politics.
biden is still buying a million barrels of oil a month from Russia. How is he paying for it?
Putin’s yacht is already docked in Russian territory (Kaliningrad).
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