Russia Bars Entry To President Joe Biden, Several Top US Officials

Russia on Tuesday issued sanctions against President Joe Biden and several top US officials.

Joe Biden, Us, russia, ukraine russia war, russia ukraine war — Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and others were added by Russia on a "stop list" which bars their entry into the country. (Photp: AP)

New Delhi: In a reciprocal move, Russia on Tuesday issued sanctions against President Joe Biden and several top US officials. Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, CIA chief William Burns, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and others were added by Russia on a “stop list” which bars their entry into the country, news agency Reuters reported.

Earlier, US had imposed strict sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and others. US sanctions also hit members of Putin’s inner circle and their families and two banks that the US considers especially crucial to the Kremlin and Russia’s military. Another new US measure limits Russia’s power to raise money abroad.

Those targeted by the new US sanctions include Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, and Alisher Burhanovich Usmanov, one of Russia’s wealthiest individuals and a close ally of Putin. The US State Department also announced it was imposing visa bans on 19 Russian oligarchs and dozens of their family members and close associates.

Meanwhile, Russia on Tuesday circulated a proposed UN Security Council resolution demanding protection for civilians “in vulnerable situations” in Ukraine and safe passage for humanitarian aid and people seeking to leave the country — but it makes no mention of Russia’s responsibility for the war against its smaller neighbor.

The draft resolution released Tuesday expresses “grave concern” at the deteriorating humanitarian situation and reports of civilian casualties in and around Ukraine. It endorses UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for dialogue and negotiations and calls for a negotiated cease-fire to rapidly evacuate “all civilians,” and underscores “the need for the parties concerned to agree on humanitarian pauses to this end.”

(With inputs from AP)