United States President, Joe Biden, on Monday, announced that he was contemplating implementing new sanctions against Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, following the death of opposition figure, Alexeï Navalny. Biden’s stance is a sharp contrast to his predecessor, Donald Trump, who chose not to condemn Putin’s involvement in Navalny’s demise. Biden stated that while existing sanctions are already in place, additional ones are being considered.
Both the United States and the European Union have enforced numerous sanctions against Russia since the onset of conflict due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Biden indicated his continued support to Ukraine, expressing his confidence in the continuation of American military aid to Kiev, despite current opposition from the House of Representatives of Congress.
Biden Indicates Willingness to Chat with Mike Johnson
The Democratic-majority Senate has approved a new package that includes $60 billion in military assistance for Ukraine. However, Mike Johnson, the leader of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, opposes any voting on the project. Regardless, Biden has expressed his willingness to engage in discussions with Mike Johnson, who is greatly influenced by Trump, the former president and likely Republican candidate in the upcoming elections.
Republicans have made it clear that they expect stricter immigration laws to be passed by Congress before any further aid is provided to Ukraine. Biden criticized the Republican’s disregard of the threat posed by Russia and their neglect of NATO and its obligations.
Biden has expressed his outrage over Trump’s comments, who stated that under his leadership, the U.S. would not protect a NATO ally or discourage Russia from attacking if the ally’s military spending did not account for 2% of its GDP.
Trump, who has been silent on Navalny’s death, did not criticize Putin but instead attacked the Biden administration. On his Truth Social network, he expressed his growing awareness of the state of affairs in the U.S. following Navalny’s death.
Trump criticized the influence of left-wing politicians, prosecutors, and judges in the U.S., and expressed concerns over open borders, rigged elections, and unjust justice. He ended his statement with a call for a stronger America, emphasizing his campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again 2024.”
Nikki Haley, Trump’s only competitor in the Republican primaries, denounced Trump’s message as irrational and criticized him for victimizing himself and comparing America to Russia. She also expressed her disappointment at Trump’s failure to condemn Putin’s role in Navalny’s assassination. Biden reaffirmed his stance that Putin was responsible for Navalny’s death.
