Ahead Of Lengser, Biden Prepares New Economic Sanctions For Russia

The Impact Of The Russian Attack On Ukraine/DOK Instagram @mfa_ukraine

JAKARTA - United States (US) President Joe Biden is expected to announce new sanctions targeting the Russian economy this week.

The new sanctions are part of measures to support Kyiv's war efforts against Moscow before Donald Trump took office.

As reported by Reuters on Thursday, January 9, the move comes as the Biden administration is also preparing new US$500 million worth of military aid for Ukraine which will include air defense missiles, air ammunition to land, and supporting equipment for F-16 fighter jets.

The return of President-elect Donald Trump to the White House on January 20 prompted hopes for a diplomatic resolution to end the Moscow invasion.

But there are also concerns in Kyiv that rapid peace will require great sacrifices.

Trump's advisers have submitted a proposal to end the war in Ukraine which will effectively hand over much of the country's territory to Russia in the future.

Biden's aides said they wanted to put Ukraine in the strongest position on the battlefield to give them leverage.

There have been no details regarding the sanctions Biden will impose on his final days, but Biden's aides briefed Trump's aides on the steps they took, US officials declined to name him.

The official said most of the weapons and ammunition promised to Ukraine had been delivered and the rest were on their way.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's administration is pushing for greater weapons support than Biden initially agreed to offer.

But in the end it happened, causing tense personal disputes over topics including Abrams tanks, F-16 fighter jets, and long-range ATACMS missile systems.

If reviewed, US officials said, none of these measures would result in great profits for Ukraine on the battlefield.

Ukraine may require security commitments, including a potential NATO membership, to counter future Russian attacks after peace negotiations, US officials said.

Meanwhile, US military officials are studying North Korean operations in Ukraine's war to assess how they can deal with any conflict in Asia. Thousands of North Korean troops are believed to support Russia in the war with Ukraine.

The United States is also likely to impose sanctions on more Chinese entities for their efforts to support Russia.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Reuters last month Washington was still trying to reduce Russia's oil revenue and access to foreign supplies to trigger war in Ukraine.