* U.S. joined by Allies and partners to hold Putin accountable; Will impose additional costs if Russia goes further with this invasion Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin of Russia recognized two regions of Ukraine as independent states and today claimed that recognition to include all of the Donbas region. The Russian Parliament also authorized the deployment of additional Russian forces into this Ukrainian territory. As President Biden and our Allies and partners have made clear, we will impose significant costs on Russia for Russia’s actions. Today, the Administration is implementing the first tranche of sanctions that go far beyond 2014, in coordination with allies and partners in the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Australia. And as President Biden promised, we worked with Germany to ensure the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will not move forward.The President has directed the following measures: Full blocking sanctions on two significant Russian financial institutions. The Secretary of the Treasury will impose full blocking sanctions on two large state-owned Russian financial institutions that provide key services crucial to financing the Kremlin and the Russian military: Vnesheconombank and Promsvyazbank and their subsidiaries. Collectively, these institutions hold more than $80 billion in assets and finance the Russian defense sector and economic development. These measures will freeze their assets in the United States, prohibit U.S. individuals and businesses from doing any transactions with them, shut them out of the global financial system, and foreclose access to the U.S. dollar. Expanded sovereign debt prohibitions restricting U.S. individuals and firms from participation in secondary markets for new debt issued by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. These prohibitions will cut off the Russian government from a key avenue by which it raises capital to fund its priorities and will increase future financing costs. It denies Russia access to key U.S. markets and investors. Full blocking sanctions on five Russian elites and their family members: Aleksandr Bortnikov (and his son, Denis), Sergei Kiriyenko (and his son, Vladimir), and Promsvyazbank CEO Petr Fradkov. These individuals and their relatives directly benefit from their connections with the Kremlin. Other Russian elites and their family members are on notice that additional actions could be taken against them. Today, the Secretary of the Treasury will determine that any institution in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy is a target for further sanctions. Over 80% of Russia’s daily foreign exchange transactions globally are in U.S. dollars and roughly half of Russia’s international trade is conducted in dollars. With this action, no Russian financial institution is safe from our measures, including the largest banks. These actions come in addition to steps being taken by our Allies and partners and represent our first response to Russia’s actions. As President Biden made clear, Russia will pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression.
Fewer than three out of four Romanians have a good opinion about the introduction of voluntary military service, a ratio slightly lower compared to a decade ago in 2015, the percentage being now lower among the AUR and PSD electorate, according to an ISCOP Research survey published on September 17 in the context of Russia […]
Romanian president Nicusor Dan informed the Parliament that he approved a request by the United States to bring additional forces to Mihail Kogalnicanu base at the Black Sea, in light of the rising tensions in the Middle East, according to
In a couple of meetings expected to generate a breakthrough on four key topics on September 17, Romania's ruling coalition deferred a final decision on the local administration staff cutting and the prolongation of the food price capping mechanism, according to Observatornews.ro....
Hungary's state company MVM responded to rumours, saying it has not abandoned plans to take over E.ON's Romanian subsidiary – but it only "temporarily withdrew from the FSR mechanism" because the approval of the investment by the Romanian authorities takes more than expected and the company needs to "balance its costs and resources," according to
The United States has approved a USD 130 million grant to finance the construction of a high-voltage power line linking Moldova to Romania, a project officials said would strengthen the country’s energy security and deepen ties with Washington. The 190 km Strășeni–Gutinaș line will connect Moldova to the European electricity grid. It will complement the […]
It’s a busy weekend in Bucharest, as the city gears up for its annual celebration, film and theater festivals bring the latest productions, and new exhibitions are opening.
