On Friday, the White House announced that Joe Biden, the United States President, put his signature on two measures imposing more costs on Putin’s Russia and Belarus. The latest sanctions mark the Biden government’s new move to punish Moscow and Minsk for the Kremlin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. In addition, it’s for the first time, the consequences in retaliation to the all-out war have come from the United States Capitol.

One of the bills signed by the US President bans imports of oil, coal, and natural gas from Russia. The other bill suspends ‘normal trade ties’ with Belarus and Russia in order to cost the two countries by smoothing the path for increased tariffs on imports from both.

Earlier on Thursday, the White House Press Secretary made apparent that the President would sign the two measures, saying the massive sanctions were ‘something Joe Biden supports’ and has insisted on. The United States unanimously supported the two bills – 100/0 votes – earlier on April 7. While the US House voted overwhelmingly to approve the measure and faced more opposition there.

The U.S. House passed the energy imports provision in a 413/9 vote, and the trade relations measure 420/3. Only three GOP Representatives, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, didn’t support the measures. While the lower chamber had already overwhelmingly approved alike bills, the U.S. Senate has been delayed for weeks over the bills.

US, EU Targets Putin, Sergei Lavrov Family Members

Republican lawmaker Rand Paul objected to suggested amendments to The Magnitsky Act, be frightened that the new language would offer excessive power to the executive branch to hunt those blamed for human rights violations.

Furthermore, earlier in the week, the U.S. administration levied more sanctions on Sberbank, Russia’s largest financial institution, ALFA-BANK, the largest of the Russian private banks, and many individuals close to the Kremlin, including two daughters of Russia’s Putin, Katerina Tikhonova, and Mariya Putina, as America looks to intensify economic burden on Moscow and Russian President himself following awful photographs and footage from Bucha, a city in Kyiv Oblast.

Moreover, the United States of America targeted including the wife of Putin’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Maria Lavrova, and their adult child, Ekaterina Lavrova. Later, Britain imposed its own sanctions, and a 27-member political and economic union was anticipated to follow suit, ratcheting up European pressure on Russia.

Japan to Impose New Sanctions on Russia

On Friday, Japan proclaimed it’s expelling 8 Russian envoys and trade officials, adding that it will eliminate Russian oil and coal imports, with the Prime Minister of Japan saying the Kremlin must be held answerable for ‘war crimes’ against Ukrainians. Fumio Kishida said his country will also prohibit imports of Russian goods, including vodka and timber, and will ban new investments in Putin’s Russia.

Additionally, Kishida said at a press briefing that Japan will step up financial consequences against Russian banks and freeze the assets of nearly four hundred people and groups, including military-associated organizations. He added atrocities against Ukrainian civilians and strikes on atomic facilities in the embattled country are serious violations of the ‘law of nations’ and are unquestionably impermissible.

Referring to the sanction’s effect on his country, like an increase in prices for food, fuel, and electricity, the Japanese PM also said that they’re at a dangerous moment in their efforts to get Russia to halt its hostile incursion of Ukraine and restore peace and security.