Westerners will announce “new sanctions against Russia and strengthen” those that already exist on Thursday, Joe Biden’s national security adviser announced at a press conference on Tuesday.
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The American president, who will take part in no less than three major international summits in Brussels on Thursday, “will join our allies in imposing new sanctions on Russia and strengthening existing sanctions”, in order to prevent Moscow from circumventing them, said Jake Sullivan.
Chaining a NATO summit, a G7 summit and a European Union summit, Joe Biden will “work with the allies on long-term adjustments” concerning NATO’s presence in Eastern Europe, continued the national security adviser.
The American president will also “announce joint action to strengthen Europe’s energy security” and reduce its dependence on Russian gas, Jake Sullivan said.
He will also unveil “additional American contributions” for humanitarian actions in Ukraine and for the reception of millions of Ukrainians who have fled the war, Jake Sullivan pointed out.
“This war is not going to end easily or quickly,” he warned.
“In recent months, the West has been united. The president is going to Europe to make sure we stay united,” said Jake Sullivan.
He also claimed that the United States had “not seen China supplying military equipment to Russia” since Joe Biden’s recent exchange with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, while assuring that Washington “continued to monitor” such potential actions by Beijing.
Joe Biden intends in Brussels to “closely coordinate our message” with Europeans in the face of China, which refuses to condemn the invasion of Ukraine and which the United States has threatened retaliation if it provides aid to Russia.
“We will speak with one voice on this subject” with the Europeans, assured Jake Sullivan.
He was also asked about a possible expulsion of Russia from the so-called “G20” format, bringing together the main world economic powers.
Without answering directly, he nevertheless said: “We believe that it is not possible to business as usual for Russia in international institutions and in the international community.”