Finnish Foreign Minister threatened Russia with “powerful” economic sanctions in case of “invasion” of Ukraine

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto warned that Western countries will “punish” Russia with additional and “powerful economic sanctions” if it invades Ukraine or starts an active hybrid operation. He stated this in the Ykkösaamu program.

“If events begin to unfold according to the worst-case scenario, then the West will obviously react with additional economic sanctions. I really want to believe that it will not come to this, ”Yle quotes the minister.

We will remind, on the eve of the evening, US President Joe Biden held a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, assuring that Washington and its allies would give a “decisive answer” in the event of Russia’s “invasion” of Ukraine.

And before that, on the evening of December 30, during an almost one hour telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the head of the White House warned about Washington and its allies’ readiness for a decisive response if Russia “invades Ukraine.”

“President Biden has called on Russia to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine. He made it clear that the United States and its allies and partners will give a decisive response if Russia invades Ukraine in the future, ”said Jen Psaki, spokesman for the White House.

Note that in November-December last year, the world media filled the topic of the alleged Russian invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions that should follow. According to the authors and experts of these publications, a sign of an “invasion” is the concentration of Russian military equipment in the regions bordering on Ukraine. Possible sanctions include both the shutdown of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and restrictions against Russian energy companies, and the shutdown of the SWIFT system of fast financial settlements.

We add that on January 10 in Geneva it is planned to hold talks between the Russian Federation and the United States on security guarantees.