Australia announced this Wednesday the first round of sanctions against Russia after Moscow recognized the independence of the self-proclaimed separatist republics of Donestsk and Lugansk, in eastern Ukraine, and ordered the deployment of Russian soldiers in those two enclaves.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison explained that Australia to ban entry to eight members of the Russian security councilto whom it will apply financial sanctionsin addition to sanctions against industries from various sectors such as energy, mining and hydrocarbons of Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as banking institutions such as the VEB and the Russian military bank, among others.
The Australian government will amend the 2011 autonomous sanctions regulations that apply to Crimea and Sevastopol to expand them to Donestsk and Lugansk, Morrison explained at a press conference in Sydney after a National Security Committee meeting.
“The invasion of Ukraine has already begun. This invasion is unwarranted, unprovoked and unacceptable,” Morrison said, assuring that “Australians always stand up to thugs, and we will stand up to Russia.”
Australia follow with this measure the footsteps of its allies such as the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Unionwith whom you will work to identify others who may be subject to future sanctions.
The Government of Australia, a historic US ally, has repeatedly stated that it has no intention of deploying troops to eastern Europe because it has to maintain security in the Indo-Pacific, although it is considering providing military equipment if the crisis deepens.
Japan announces sanctions
The Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishidasaid this Thursday that his country will implement a series of sanctions against Russia after Moscow recognized the independence of the self-proclaimed separatist republics, and ordered the deployment of military troops in both enclaves.
In a media appearance, Kishida again condemned the “violation of international law” of Russia and announced that suspend visas and freeze funds of those two Ukrainian breakaway territories, which will be subjected to a trade embargoin addition to blocking new issues of Russian sovereign debt in the Japanese markets.
The prime minister added that if the situation worsens, Tokyo will adopt additional measures “as soon as possible” in collaboration with the rest of the G7 member countries.
Kishida also urged Russia “to return to the process to rresolve the crisis through diplomatic negotiations” and insisted that his government will do everything possible to protect the Japanese who still reside in Ukraine after Tokyo asked all its nationals 10 days ago to leave the European country.
Canada considers that Russia incurs a “blatant provocation”
Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeauannounced this Tuesday a battery of economic sanctions against two Russian banks and the prohibition from buy russian debt and perform financial dealings with breakaway regions in response to Russian recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine.
“Make no mistake, this is a new invasion of a sovereign state and it is absolutely unacceptable,” Trudeau stressed, as reported by CBC NEWS, in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to announce the independence of the self-proclaimed republics in the Donbas region.
In his opinion, “the blatant Russian provocations are a threat to security and peace in the world”, so these sanctions will remain in force until the territorial integrity of Ukraine is restored.”
The “first round of sanctions” announced by Trudeau include ban Canadians from all financial dealings with Lugansk and Donetsk, not allowing the purchase of Russian sovereign debt, as well as a ban on dealing with two state-backed Russian banks. Ottawa will also interpose sanctions against members of the Russian parliament who voted to recognize breakaway regions.
This same Tuesday, the Government of Canada summoned the Russian ambassador in Ottawa, Oleg Stepanov, to address the situation after Russia’s recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.
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