The United States, EU, Britain and Canada slapped Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov with personal sanctions, moving to freeze their foreign-held assets over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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The move is largely symbolic, as both are unlikely to have large identifiable personal assets abroad. According to US media, the sanctions were closely coordinated.
Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics tweeted that the bloc had formally "adopted the 2nd sanctions package," adding that "the asset freeze includes president of Russia and its foreign minister."
Shortly afterward, Britain announced that it would also act against the Russian leadership, with PM Boris Johnson saying it was a necessary response to the Kremlin's "revanchist mission."
Still, the US and EU has been hesitant about blocking the Kremlin from SWIFT – the international interbank payments system – as part of their sanctions, although US President Joe Biden said the issue may be revisited, adding that the sanctions imposed against Russian banks exceeded the impact of cutting Russia off from SWIFT.
The foreign ministers of the Baltic states, once ruled from Moscow but now members of NATO and the EU, urged to ban Russia from SWIFT. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, "I will not be diplomatic on this. Everyone who now doubts whether Russia should be banned from Swift has to understand that the blood of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children will be on their hands too. BAN RUSSIA FROM SWIFT."
To some European leaders who are still hesitant: each year at commemorative events you say 'Never again'. The time to prove it is now. Russia is waging a horrific war of aggression in Europe. Here is your 'never again' test: BAN RUSSIA FROM SWIFT and kick it out of everywhere.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 25, 2022
The Biden administration on Friday joined the European Union in directly sanctioning Putin, who has "perpetrated horrific aggression against Ukraine," the Treasury Department said in a statement, which detailed the sanctions targeting Lavrov and other members of Russia's security council.
Treasury's actions essentially mean that any property or monetary assets Putin or his top advisers may have in the US are frozen.
The move "sends a clear message about the strength of the opposition to the actions" by Putin, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
Asked by reporters if Biden has planned any more direct diplomatic overtures toward Putin, whose ground and air forces are pushing an offensive on Ukraine's key cities, Psaki said no.
"I would say that a moment where a leader is ... in the middle of invading a sovereign country is not the moment where diplomacy feels appropriate," Psaki told reporters at a White House briefing. "It does not mean we have ruled out diplomacy forever."
She added that US individual sanctions against Putin and Lavrov were also likely to include travel bans.
Psaki said the US would also sanction the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which functions as a sovereign wealth fund meant to draw capital into the Russian economy.
Ukraine's ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova called the allies' decision to freeze the assets of Putin himself the right one.
Australia also joined the move: Canberra announced Friday that it was imposing sanctions against all 339 members of the Russian parliament and is considering sanctions against Putin and Lavrov.
UEFA shares the international community's significant concern for the security situation developing in Europe and strongly condemns the ongoing Russian military invasion in Ukraine.
Full statement: ⬇️
— UEFA (@UEFA) February 24, 2022
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne also announced on sanctions against eight Russian oligarchs close to Putin, adding that Australia was also taking steps to imposed sanctions on key figures in the Belarusian government who had aided the Ukraine invasion.
Payne said she was seeking advice from her department on following western allies' example in sanctioning Putin.
"It is an exceptional step to sanction leaders, but this is an exceptional situation," Payne said.
Also on Friday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that he was ready to close Poland's airspace for Russian airlines, following a similar move by the UK, which on banned all Russian-registered aircraft from flying over its territory.
The Czech Republic and Bulgaria have also banned Russian airlines from its airspace, as other European countries said they were considering a similar move.
The UK's announcement that it was banning Russian flag carrier Aeroflot from its airspace – a move that was later, extended to all Russian-registered aircraft – did not escape the Kremlin's attention.
The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency called the UK's decision "unfriendly" and immediately announced that all British airlines were banned from its airspace.
Fallout from the Russian attack on Ukraine also prompted European bans against Moscow in other arenas.
The Union of European Football Associations announced it was moving the May 28 Champions League final from St. Petersburg to Paris, following Russia's aggression.
UEFA's executive committee held an emergency meeting following the escalation in Eastern Europe. A statement issued following the meeting said, "UEFA shares the international community's significant concern for the security situation developing in Europe and strongly condemns the ongoing Russian military invasion in Ukraine.
"Together with the French government, UEFA will fully support multi-stakeholder efforts to ensure the provision of rescue for football players and their families in Ukraine who face dire human suffering, destruction and displacement."
— F1 Media (@F1Media) February 25, 2022
UEFA's executive committee further said that Russian and Ukrainian clubs and national teams competing in its tournaments will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.
FIFA, the international governing body of association football, has yet to make a decision on what to do about next month's World Cup play-off matches.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the organization "would look at the matter with urgency" and expressed hope the situation would be resolved by next month.
Late Friday night, the European Broadcasting Union announced that Russia will no longer be allowed to participate in this year's Eurovision Song Contest.
According to the BBC, the EBU, which produces the event, said Russia's inclusion could bring the competition into disrepute "in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine."
Formula One, the International Federation of Motor Sports' most prestigious international racing competition, canceled the Russian Grand Prix, due to take place in Sochi on Sept. 25.
"The FIA Formula 1 World Championship visits countries all over the world with a positive vision to unite people, bringing nations together.
"We are watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation.
"Formula One, the FIA, and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is, including the view of all relevant stakeholders, that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances," the London-based organization said in a statement.
Statement from @EBU_HQ regarding Russia's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.https://t.co/HmKJdqVE4J pic.twitter.com/tVH6yFxzbq
— Eurovision Song Contest (@Eurovision) February 25, 2022
British Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries welcomed the decision: "The withdrawal of the Russian Grand Prix is yet another clear message to President Putin that the international sporting world will not stand by and allow him to use these events to legitimize his illegal and deadly invasion of Ukraine.
"I welcome the action taken by the FIA and its drivers. We are working at pace with governing bodies linked to international sporting events due to be hosted in Russia this year and are urging them to follow suit."
In an unprecedented departure from diplomatic protocol, Friday further saw Pope Francis personally go to the Russian Embassy at the Vatican to relay his concern over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope spent more than half an hour at the embassy.
"He went to express his concern over the war," Bruni said, declining to give details about the visit or the conversation.
Bruni would not comment on whether the pope offered the Vatican's mediation in the crisis.
Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Avdeyev told the RIA Novosti news agency that the pope expressed "great concern" about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
The ambassador was quoted as saying that the Argentine pontiff "called for the protection of children, the protection of the sick and suffering, and the protection of people."
The visit by a pope to an embassy to talk to an ambassador in a time of conflict is unprecedented in living memory.
Foreign envoys are usually summoned by the Vatican's Secretary of State or meet with the pope in the Apostolic Palace.
Several hours after meeting the ambassador, the pope telephoned Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, leader of Ukraine's Eastern-rite Catholics who has vowed not to leave Kyiv and who has opened up his cathedral's basement as a bomb shelter.
Shevchuk's Rome office said in a statement that the pope told the archbishop "I will do everything I can" to help.
In a statement Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the Holy See hoped that those who hold the destiny of the world in their hands would have a "glimmer of conscience."
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