This Thursday Russia warned the United States that if it sends Patriot missiles to Ukraine it will consider the move a provocation that could have “unpredictable consequences”.
The Biden administration is finalizing its plans to send a Patriot missile system to Ukraine, three defense officials told NBC earlier this week.
The surface-to-air defense system would help the Ukrainians repel Russian air attacks. During the first Gulf War, Washington sent two Patriot batteries to Telaviv that successfully countered attacks by Saddam Hussein’s regime.
The Russian embassy in Washington said in a statement that sending the Patriot missile system would be considered “provocative.”
But in a speech on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces were destroying “everything in front of them.” He added that “city after city” Donbas, in eastern Ukraine, was being destroyed.
“There is no calm on the front line. There is nothing easy and simple. Every day and every meter is fought extremely hard,” Zelensky said.
On the other hand, the European Union (EU) approved this Thursday a new package of sanctions aimed at increasing pressure on Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.
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The package, the details of which have not been released, was approved after days of deliberations during a meeting of ambassadors of the 27-nation bloc in Brussels as EU leaders held a summit nearby.
The Czech Republic, which holds the rotating EU Council presidency, said the package would be confirmed in writing on Friday. No breaking issues were expected before the details are published in the block’s legal filings.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, last week proposed travel bans and asset freezes for nearly 200 more Russian military and officials as part of the new round of measures.
It was not clear if the proposals had been modified during negotiations between member countries.
The targets of the latest recommended sanctions included government ministers, legislators, regional governors and political parties. The Commission also wanted to attack the defense industry and more Russian banks, and impose controls and restrictions on the export of chemicals, nerve agents, electronic components that could be used by the armed forces.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had also proposed “to ban direct exports of drone engines to Russia and export to third countries, such as Iran, which could supply drones to Russia.”
The European Commission also recommended that EU members take action against the Russian mining and energy sectors, including a ban on new mining investment, and take action to take more Russian TV stations off the air in Europe.
In addition to sanctions on various entities, banks and individuals, including Putin and members of his family, the EU previously approved an embargo on seaborne oil and coal imports in close collaboration with Western allies.
