UK preparing new sanctions against Russia
On Monday, January 31, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of Great Britain will announce new sanctions against Russia due to the situation around Ukraine, reported TASS and RIA Novosti, citing informed sources in the UK government circles.
"It is expected that the Foreign Office will announce the tightening of the sanctions on Monday in Parliament so that the UK can strike at the strategic and financial interests of Russia," the source told RIA Novosti.
The TASS source did not specify whether sanctions will be imposed immediately or whether it is a question of adopting a package of measures that will come into force in the event of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The interlocutor of the agency also said that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson discussed "diplomatic tactics" and options for a set of restrictions with the country's Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
According to TASS, by Monday, Johnson will study the "options for containing" Moscow in Europe proposed by the British military leadership. The set of measures includes, in particular, "the deployment of equipment and personnel and the strengthening of the NATO defense system," the source said.
In late January, Johnson discussed possible sanctions with US President Joe Biden and other leaders of European countries against Russia in the event of an escalation of tensions around Ukraine. The leaders discussed measures to deter "Russian aggression", including the preparation of” economic consequences” for Russia and the strengthening of NATO’s eastern flank. Biden, Johnson, and other politicians concluded that in the event of Russian aggression against Ukraine, an "unprecedented package of sanctions" should be introduced but indicated that negotiations are a key task.
In late January, the British Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, invited his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu to London to discuss the situation around Ukraine. Shoygu responded by offering to meet in Moscow "at any convenient time." Wallace agreed to fly to Moscow, expressing hope that there was still a chance to stop Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "I'm not optimistic at all," he said.
The Kremlin denies the preparation for an invasion of Ukraine. "We do not want and will not take any actions of an aggressive nature. We will not attack, invade - or anything else - Ukraine," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.