Biden eyes new Russia sanctions before Trump era begins

Washington — President Joe Biden is expected to unveil new sanctions targeting Russia’s economy this week, according to a US official, as part of measures to bolster Kyiv’s war effort against Moscow before Donald Trump takes office.

The steps come as the Biden administration was also readying $500m in new military aid for Ukraine on Thursday that was set to include air defence missiles, air-to-ground munitions and support equipment for F-16 fighter jets, a US official who declined to be named said.

President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 has sparked hope of a diplomatic resolution to end Moscow’s invasion but also fears in Kyiv that a quick peace could come at a high price.

Advisers to Trump have floated proposals to end the Ukraine war that would effectively cede large parts of the country to Russia for the foreseeable future.

Biden aides say they want to put Ukraine in the strongest position on the battlefield to give them leverage for possible negotiations with Russia this year. There were no immediate details on the sanctions Biden would levy in his final days but Biden aides were briefing Trump’s aides on the steps they were taking, the official said.

The official said that most of the weapons and munitions promised to Ukraine had been delivered and the remainder were on the way. Ukraine’s critical munitions stock piles are now in a healthy position, the official added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government has regularly pushed for greater weapons support than Biden was initially willing to offer but ultimately did, leading to tense private encounters over topics including Abrams tanks, F-16 fighter jets and longer-range ATACMS missile systems.

In retrospect, said the US official, none of those steps have yielded major gains for Ukraine on the battlefield.

Ukraine may need security commitments, including potential Nato membership, to ward off a future Russian assault following peace negotiations, the US official said. Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Meanwhile, US military officials are studying North Korean operations in the Ukraine war to assess how they might handle any conflict in Asia. Thousands of North Korean forces are believed to be supporting Russians in the war with Ukraine.

The US is also likely to sanction more Chinese entities for their efforts to support Russia, the official said.

US treasury secretary Janet Yellen said last month that Washington was still seeking to reduce Russia’s oil revenue and access to foreign supplies to fuel the Ukraine war. 

Reuters