UN humanitarian funds of US$20 million and a planned infusion of 1.5 billion euros (US$1.68 billion) in EU economic aid for Ukraine are among a raft of new, stronger measures against Russia from Taiwan, Japan, Europe, Australia and others, as well as a cascade of condemnation from the highest levels.
As Russian bombs and troops pounded Ukraine during the invasion’s first full day, world leaders yesterday began to fine-tune a response meant to punish the Russian economy and its leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.
While there is an acute awareness that a military intervention is unlikely, for now, the strength, unity and speed of the financial sanctions — with the striking exception of China, a strong Russian supporter — signal a growing global determination to make Moscow reconsider its attack.
Photo: REUTERS
French Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery Bruno Le Maire said that his country and its European allies are determined to inflict great damage on the Russian economy and punish the country for the “foolish decisions of Vladimir Putin” with “massive and immediate sanctions.”
“We want to isolate Russia financially,” Le Maire said. “We want to cut all ties between Russia and the global financial system. We will dry up the financing of the Russian economy.”
France and its allies have decided to further sanction individuals, as well as impose penalties targeting finance, energy and other sectors, French President Emmanuel Macron said.
The legal texts for the sanctions would be finalized and submitted for approval to EU foreign ministers later that day, he added.
Macron also said that the EU has decided on economic aid for Ukraine in the “unprecedented” amount of 1.5 billion euros.
The new measures came one day after US President Joe Biden imposed stiff sanctions on Russia and warned that Kyiv could fall.
As Russian tanks, troops and aircraft pushed closer to Kyiv, Biden promised to inflict a “severe cost on the Russian economy” that would hamper its ability to do business in foreign currencies.
“This is a dangerous moment for all of Europe,” Biden said in an address to the nation from the White House, adding that the “next few weeks and months will be hard on the people of Ukraine.”
Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have joined the US, the 27-nation EU and others in the West in piling on punitive measures against Russian banks and leading companies.
The nations have also set up export controls aimed at starving Russia’s industries and military of semiconductors and other high-tech products.
“Japan must clearly show its position that we will never tolerate any attempt to change the status quo by force,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters while announcing new punitive measures that included freezing the visas and assets of Russian groups, banks and individuals, and the suspension of shipments of semiconductors and other restricted goods to Russian military-linked organizations.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an extremely grave development that affects the international order, not only for Europe, but also for Asia,” Kishida said.
“An unthinkable number of innocent lives could be lost because of Russia’s decision,” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.
She announced targeted travel bans against Russian officials and other measures.
British Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace rejected Russian claims of success on the first day of its invasion, telling Sky News that it had “failed to deliver” on its major objectives and is behind on its timetable for advance.
Wallace also said that imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine would put British pilots in direct conflict with Russian forces, and enforcing it would effectively require NATO to declare war on Russia and broaden the conflict in Ukraine.
“I’m not putting British troops directly to fight Russian troops,” Wallace told the BBC.
At the UN, officials set aside US$20 million to boost UN humanitarian operations in Ukraine. Separately, the UN Security Council was later in the day expected to vote on a resolution condemning Russia and demanding the immediate withdrawal of all its forces.
However, Moscow was certain to veto it.
Taiwanese Olympic badminton men’s doubles gold medalist Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and his new partner, Chiu Hsiang-chieh (邱相榤), clinched the men’s doubles title at the Yonex Taipei Open yesterday, becoming the second Taiwanese team to win a title in the tournament. Ranked 19th in the world, the Taiwanese duo defeated Kang Min-hyuk and Ki Dong-ju of South Korea 21-18, 21-15 in a pulsating 43-minute final to clinch their first doubles title after teaming up last year. Wang, the men’s doubles gold medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, partnered with Chiu in August last year after the retirement of his teammate Lee Yang
FALSE DOCUMENTS? Actor William Liao said he was ‘voluntarily cooperating’ with police after a suspect was accused of helping to produce false medical certificates Police yesterday questioned at least six entertainers amid allegations of evasion of compulsory military service, with Lee Chuan (李銓), a member of boy band Choc7 (超克7), and actor Daniel Chen (陳大天) among those summoned. The New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office in January launched an investigation into a group that was allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified medical documents. Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) has been accused of being one of the group’s clients. As the investigation expanded, investigators at New Taipei City’s Yonghe Precinct said that other entertainers commissioned the group to obtain false documents. The main suspect, a man surnamed
US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer began talks with high-ranking Chinese officials in Switzerland yesterday aiming to de-escalate a dispute that threatens to cut off trade between the world’s two biggest economies and damage the global economy. The US delegation has begun meetings in Geneva with a Chinese delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (何立峰), Xinhua News Agency said. Diplomats from both sides also confirmed that the talks have begun, but spoke anonymously and the exact location of the talks was not made public. Prospects for a major breakthrough appear dim, but there is
The number of births in Taiwan fell to an all-time monthly low last month, while the population declined for the 16th consecutive month, Ministry of the Interior data released on Friday showed. The number of newborns totaled 8,684, which is 704 births fewer than in March and the lowest monthly figure on record, the ministry said. That is equivalent to roughly one baby born every five minutes and an annual crude birthrate of 4.52 per 1,000 people, the ministry added. Meanwhile, 17,205 deaths were recorded, resulting in a natural population decrease of 8,521, the data showed. More people are also leaving Taiwan, with net
RSS