Biden Hits Russia With New Sanctions, Says Putin ‘Chose’ War

(AP Photo)
By AAMER MADHANI, ZEKE MILLER and ELLEN KNICKMEYER undefined
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has announced a new round of sanctions targeting Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, charging that Russia’s Vladimir Putin “chose this war” and that his country will bear the consequences of his action. The sanctions target Russian banks, oligarchs, and high-tech sectors. The penalties fall in line with the White House’s insistence that it would look to hit Russia’s financial system and Putin’s inner circle, while also imposing export controls that would aim to starve Russia’s industries and military of U.S. semiconductors and other high-tech products. Biden, for now, is holding off imposing some of the most severe sanctions, including cutting Russia out of the SWIFT payment system.