Hawkeye Reporter

Keeping in mind the potential invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Sen. Joni Ernst called for immediate sanctions but the Secretary of State Antony Blinken has already rejected it.

“America needs to show strength and immediately impose sanctions against Russia to deter their escalating aggression toward Ukraine” Ernst said on Twitter on Jan. 23.

Ernst called for sanctions against Russia. 

“When it comes to pushing back against Russia, we need to show strength and not be in a position of doctrine of appeasement, which seems to be how President (Joe) Biden has worked his administration,” Ernst said, New York Post reported.

“So, those sanctions need to be put in place now. They could be expelled from the SWIFT banking system,” she said, referring to the banking transfer platform the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.

Sanctions on Russia could mean financial penalties, trade barriers, tariffs and restrictions on financial transactions. Blinken dismissed Ernst’s push for sanctions during his appearance on CNN saying that they are a preemptive move against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“All of the things that we’re doing, including building up in a united way with Europe, massive consequences for Russia, is designed to factor into President Putin’s calculus and to deter and dissuade them from taking aggressive action, even as we pursue diplomacy at the same time,” Blinken said, New York Post reported.

The U.K. has also threatened sanctions against Russia, CNBC reported. 

“There’ll be very serious consequences if Russia takes this move to try and invade but also install a puppet regime,” British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab told Sky News. 

Britain already supplied 2,000 missiles and a team of military trainers to Ukraine. They have also declared that they had information that the Russian intelligence services were already maintaining strong links with “numerous” former Ukrainian politicians.