Psaki Questioned On Biden Delaying Russia Sanctions

During Friday’s press briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was questioned about Democrat President Joe Biden’s apparent reluctance to impose sanctions on Russia.

Fox News White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich asked Psaki why the Biden administration was holding back sanctions despite Russia appearing to be on the verge of invading Ukraine and other recent aggressions.

“On Ukraine, the sanctions, we’ve learned, don’t include SWIFT, they don’t target energy, so the impacts to other countries are mitigated.  You guys have attributed this cyberattack to Russia, and you’re warning that the prospect of war is — or peace, rather, is pretty dim.  So, at what point do you break away from the strategy and say it’s not working and do something else — impose some of these sanctions now?” Heinrich asked.

“Well, I think as we’ve talked about a little bit in here, our collective view from our national security team is that sanctions are meant to be a deterrent,” Psaki said. “They are not — if you put all of the sanctions in place now, what is stopping them from invading?”

“But are they working?” Heinrich asked.

“Well … I think that’s our assessment from the national security team and, you know, we will continue to implement that strategy,” Psaki replied.

“You’re waiting for people to die before implementing them in that case,” Heinrich said.

“I think, Jacqui, that’s in no way a fair statement or accusation, I guess, if that’s what that is,” Psaki said. “What we have done, what the President has done is unite hundreds — countries around the world on a strong package that will be crippling to the Russian economy and we have done that in a way where we have stood up for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and stood with our NATO partners and allies.”

“It has always been up to President Putin and Russia to determine which path they were going to take, that has not changed,” Psaki continued. “But that leadership on the world stage is what has led to a united front and united opposition to these actions.”

Psaki’s comments come as Russia continues to gather troops near Ukraine’s border, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin falsely claiming that he had decided to “partially pull back troops.”

“We have heard the signs from Moscow about readiness to continue diplomatic efforts, but so far, we have not seen any de-escalation on the ground. On the contrary, it appears that Russia continues their military build-up,” NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said before a meeting of NATO defense ministers.

According to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Russia could invade Ukraine at any moment.

“We continue to see forces, especially forces that would be in the vanguard of any renewed aggression against Ukraine continuing to be at the border to mass at the border,” Blinken said during an interview on ABC’s Good Morning America.

“We said that we were in a window of time in which the invasion could come at any time. President Putin’s put in place the capacity to act on very short notice. He can pull the trigger. He could pull it today. He could pull it tomorrow. He could pull it next week,” Blinken continued. “The forces are there if he wants to renew aggression against Ukraine.”