NEWSLETTER
Thursday / September 29Sep 29
Wednesday / February 23
Reaction to Russia
US President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against the Russian elite and two banks as Putin sent troops to two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine recognized by Russia.
"To put it simply Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine," Biden said on Tuesday at the White House.
In response to Russia's refusal to withdraw its forces from Belarus in northern Ukraine, Biden said he has allowed the shift of US forces and equipment already in Europe to the Baltic states to reinforce Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
"Let me be clear, these are totally defensive moves on our part. We have no intention of fighting Russia," he said. "We want to send an unmistakable message though, that the United States, together with our allies, will defend every inch of NATO territory."
Biden said sanctions were imposed on VEB bank and Russia's military bank Promsvyazbank, which has made defense deals. US sanctions will begin Wednesday against the Russian elite and their family members.
According to Tass news agency, Promsvyazbank said that the sanctions will not have a significant impact as it has taken precautionary measures in advance. The bank did not provide details.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that he had ordered a special period of conscription of reservists, but ruled a general mobilization for now.
In a televised speech, Zelenskiy said that he is still looking for diplomatic ways out of the crisis and welcomes Turkey's willingness to participate in multilateral negotiations, but that Ukraine will not cede territory to Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin did not watch Biden's speech.
Germany halted the approval process of the new gas pipeline Nordstream2 from Russia. Britain also hit Russian banks with sanctions. Russia's foreign ministry has criticized the new measures as "illegitimate".
The European Union also agreed on new sanctions that will blacklist more politicians, lawmakers and officials, ban EU investors from trading in Russian government bonds, and target imports and exports with separatist entities.
US stocks
The S&P500 closed in correction territory on Tuesday amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell to 33,596.61. Dow lost for the fourth consecutive session. The S&P 500 fell 1% to 4,304.76, and entered a technical correction as it is down 10% from its record close. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 1.2% to 13,381.52. The US stock market was closed on Monday for the Presidents Day holiday.
The Dow lost more than 700 points at session lows.
Iran talks
Negotiations on reviving the deal, aimed at halting Iran's nuclear program and easing sanctions, are nearing conclusion, a Russian envoy said on Tuesday.
Sources close to the talks said a prisoner swap is expected soon between Iran and the United States, according to Reuters.
"It seems that negotiations on the restoration of the JCPOA are about to cross the finish line," said Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's envoy to the Iran negotiations.
US negotiator Robert Malley said the nuclear deal was unlikely to be secured unless Tehran released four US citizens, including Iranian-American father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi from jail.
US President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against the Russian elite and two banks as Putin sent troops to two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine recognized by Russia.
"To put it simply Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine," Biden said on Tuesday at the White House.
In response to Russia's refusal to withdraw its forces from Belarus in northern Ukraine, Biden said he has allowed the shift of US forces and equipment already in Europe to the Baltic states to reinforce Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
"Let me be clear, these are totally defensive moves on our part. We have no intention of fighting Russia," he said. "We want to send an unmistakable message though, that the United States, together with our allies, will defend every inch of NATO territory."
Biden said sanctions were imposed on VEB bank and Russia's military bank Promsvyazbank, which has made defense deals. US sanctions will begin Wednesday against the Russian elite and their family members.
According to Tass news agency, Promsvyazbank said that the sanctions will not have a significant impact as it has taken precautionary measures in advance. The bank did not provide details.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that he had ordered a special period of conscription of reservists, but ruled a general mobilization for now.
In a televised speech, Zelenskiy said that he is still looking for diplomatic ways out of the crisis and welcomes Turkey's willingness to participate in multilateral negotiations, but that Ukraine will not cede territory to Russia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin did not watch Biden's speech.
Germany halted the approval process of the new gas pipeline Nordstream2 from Russia. Britain also hit Russian banks with sanctions. Russia's foreign ministry has criticized the new measures as "illegitimate".
The European Union also agreed on new sanctions that will blacklist more politicians, lawmakers and officials, ban EU investors from trading in Russian government bonds, and target imports and exports with separatist entities.
US stocks
The S&P500 closed in correction territory on Tuesday amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell to 33,596.61. Dow lost for the fourth consecutive session. The S&P 500 fell 1% to 4,304.76, and entered a technical correction as it is down 10% from its record close. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 1.2% to 13,381.52. The US stock market was closed on Monday for the Presidents Day holiday.
The Dow lost more than 700 points at session lows.
Iran talks
Negotiations on reviving the deal, aimed at halting Iran's nuclear program and easing sanctions, are nearing conclusion, a Russian envoy said on Tuesday.
Sources close to the talks said a prisoner swap is expected soon between Iran and the United States, according to Reuters.
"It seems that negotiations on the restoration of the JCPOA are about to cross the finish line," said Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's envoy to the Iran negotiations.
US negotiator Robert Malley said the nuclear deal was unlikely to be secured unless Tehran released four US citizens, including Iranian-American father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi from jail.
