Biden Should Slap Sanctions On House Republicans, Settles For New Penalties On Russia

Tomorrow is two years since the invasion of Ukraine.

Photo by Dmitry Bukhantsov on Unsplash

President Joe Biden today announced new sanctions against more than 500 people and entities, in response both to last week’s murder of democracy advocate Alexei Navalny, and to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. In a White House statement, Biden said the sanctions were timed to coincide with tomorrow’s second anniversary of Russia’s invasion, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin

believed that he could easily bend the will and break the resolve of a free people. That he could roll into a sovereign nation, and the world would roll over. That he could shake the foundations of security in Europe and beyond. 

Two years later, we see even more vividly what we’ve known since day one: Putin miscalculated badly.

Biden pledged continued support for Ukraine from the US and urged the House of Representatives — really, he meant Republicans, many of whom may as well be wearing little Russian flag lapel pins — to pass the Senate’s military aid package for Ukraine “before it’s too late.”

Biden warned that

If Putin does not pay the price for his death and destruction, he will keep going. And the costs to the United States—along with our NATO Allies and partners in Europe and around the world—will rise.

Biden said the new sanctions will target Russian officials involved in Navalny’s imprisonment and death, as well as Russian defense businesses, suppliers, and Russian individuals and companies who have evaded sanctions all over the world.

The sanctions would also include “new export restrictions on nearly 100 entities for providing backdoor support for Russia’s war machine,” and we hope that includes manufacturers of those windows that people close to Putin have a habit of falling from.

Although the House is on another of its recesses this week, Biden urged it to get its act together and pass the supplemental defense bill, noting that the people of Ukraine “continue to fight with tremendous courage. But they are running out of ammunition.” Pointing out that there are more than enough votes for the bill to pass in the House if it’s brought up for a vote, Biden offered a not terribly subtle criticism of Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans who have opposed the bill:

Congress knows that by supporting this bill, we can strengthen security in Europe, strengthen our security at home, and stand up to Putin. Opposing this bill only plays into his hands.

Ahem, you jerks.

Biden, currently on a three-day campaign fundraising trip in California, met yesterday with Navalny’s widow and daughter, Yulia and Dasha Navalnaya. He told them that Navalny’s “legacy will carry on through people across Russia and around the world mourning his loss and fighting for freedom, democracy, and human rights," according to a White House statement.

Sure would help if so many Republicans didn’t seem more interested in finding ways to help Donald Trump emulate Putin instead of opposing him.

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[White House / NBC News / CBS News]

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