Russia 'virtually cut off' from invasion?

Von der Leyen is now threatening severe consequences

Created: 02/21/2022, 11:24 am

By: Bedrettin Bölükbasi

In the event of an invasion of Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to introduce severe sanctions against Putin's Russia.

(kreiszeitung.de montage) © Mikhail Metzel/John Thys/dpa

An invasion of Ukraine would probably have drastic consequences for Russia.

EU Commission President von der Leyen is now providing details on possible sanctions.

Munich - The Russian troop deployment on the Ukrainian border has taken drastic proportions.

Around 75 percent of conventional Russian troops are on the border with Ukraine, the US broadcaster CNN reported, citing the latest US intelligence reports.

120 of a total of 160 tactical battalion groups and 35 of the 50 known Russian air defense battalions are ready for an attack.

In addition, about 500 fighter planes and fighter-bombers are also in attack positions, according to US intelligence officials.

Western countries now fear another invasion of Ukraine at a nod from Russian President Vladimir Putin, and very soon.

Should Russian tanks actually roll across the border, the EU apparently wants to react with severe sanctions.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen now explained in more detail what drastic consequences would result for Moscow.

Ukraine conflict: Von der Leyen threatens Russia with severe consequences - ambiguity about the Swift system

Both the EU and the USA reject military involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

Instead, they want to deter Russia from an attack with sanctions.

"If Vladimir Putin starts a war, we will respond with the most powerful lever we have: economic and financial sanctions," emphasized von der Leyen on Sunday in the ARD talk "Anne Will".

After all, the economy is "Russia's weak point".

This could cut Russia's access to financial markets: "Financial sanctions would mean that Russia would be practically cut off from international financial markets."

Should Russia also be excluded from the international banking communication network Swift?

Von der Leyen did not provide an answer to this question, which was already being hotly debated in Germany.

Excluding Russia from the Swift network is an option that is often discussed in the context of tensions in Ukraine, but Western states currently appear to be at odds over such a step.

So far, no final, unified conclusion could be reached as to whether this measure should also be included in the sanctions package.

Ukraine invasion?

EU plans sanctions against Russian economy - no Nord Stream 2 decision yet

According to von der Leyen, there is great agreement between western partners on the planned sanctions.

They would also extend to goods "which Russia urgently needs to modernize and diversify its economy, but which are manufactured by us, where we have global dominance and which Russia cannot replace".

At this point, the EU Commission President drew attention to the fragile situation of the Russian economy.

It is heavily dependent on the export of fossil fuels.

In addition, inflation is very high at almost nine percent.

Von der Leyen left open whether the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline will also be the subject of sanctions against Russia and referred to the approval process of the Federal Network Agency.

First, the question of authorization must be answered.

Only then "will it be submitted to the Commission and we will then carry out the assessment process", said the President of the European Commission.

However, the security of supply in Europe must also be taken into account.

For this winter, however, it is secured.

Ukraine sanctions: Zelenskyy criticizes sanctions schedule - "What are you waiting for?"

Although the EU has announced tough sanctions, they should only take effect if an invasion actually occurs.

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj publicly criticized this sharply.

"We don't need your sanctions after the bombing and after our country is fired upon or after we no longer have borders, no economy," he said at the Munich Security Conference.

The Ukrainian head of state underlined that the sanctions would have to be presented to the public and introduced before a possible invasion.

There are many options, but there must also be determination.

"What are you waiting for?" Zelenskyj asked, looking at the planned measures.

But the EU is likely to continue to wait for the time being, because sanctions would obviously also make life difficult for the economy in this country.

Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) also warned of this.

It must be said clearly “that sanctions will also hit our own economy hard”.

Nevertheless, a further escalation in Russia would be answered with tough economic sanctions.