Volcker urged the US to impose sanctions on Russia before it’s “too late”

The US should impose preventive sanctions against Russia because of its “aggression” against Ukraine before it is “too late.” According to RBC, this was stated in an article for the Center for the Analysis of European Politics by an American diplomat, former US special envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volcker.

“The current policy of the West is that if Russia worsens the situation, then (and only after that) the West will impose new sanctions. Now it is necessary to change this dynamics – the West should introduce new sanctions now and agree to lift these sanctions only if Russia refuses military escalation, ”the message says.

Volcker added that Russia’s proposals to the US on security guarantees are “completely unacceptable” and Putin, he said, knew about it. According to the diplomat, the head of the Russian state is allegedly trying to get the West to refuse and use it as a pretext for an “invasion” of Ukraine.

Recently, publications about a possible “invasion” of Russia into Ukraine began to appear in the media. Moscow denies the accusations on this score.

Bloomberg, citing its sources, reported that the United States and the European Union are studying the possibility of imposing sanctions on the largest Russian banks and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) if Russia “attacks” Ukraine. Among the most probable restrictions may allegedly be the conversion of rubles into dollars and other foreign currencies, including euros and pounds sterling. Moreover, the West may limit the ability of investors to buy Russian debt on the secondary market.

Also, CNN sources warned that the American authorities are considering the possibility of punishing the Russian Federation with new restrictions as part of containing Russia’s “invasion” of Ukraine. It was emphasized that the sanctions could affect the “entourage” of the leader of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and energy companies. They also suggest disconnecting the RF from the SWIFT system.

The leaders of the 27 EU countries at a summit in Brussels unanimously decided to extend economic sectoral sanctions against Russia for six months. European sanctions against the Russian Federation were introduced after the annexation of Crimea to Russia in 2014.