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British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has announced new legislation to strengthen the UK's sanctions regime that could be used in the event of a Russian attack on Ukraine.
"We will lay before Parliament a bill that will significantly strengthen our position against Russia's aggressive action against Ukraine," the head of British diplomacy told the House of Commons, explaining that these sanctions could target a greater number of individuals and companies depending on their importance to the Kremlin.
"We will be able to target any business linked to the Russian state, engaged in activities of economic importance to the Russian state or operating in a sector of strategic importance to the Russian state. Not only will we be more able to target these entities, but we will also be able to prosecute those who own or control them," the minister added.
Truss stressed that this sanctions regime, expected to come into force by February 10, would be the "most severe" ever applied against Russia and represented "the biggest change" in Britain's approach since leaving the EU.
"We will ensure that those who share responsibility for the Kremlin's aggressive and destabilising actions pay a heavy price," the minister said. They will risk having their assets frozen in the UK and being unable to enter its territory. It will also be impossible for a company or person in the UK to do business with them."
"Moscow's malicious intent is clear. The Russians have massed more than 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border," Liz Truss said, calling on Moscow to "withdraw its troops and start meaningful talks."
Liz Truss said she would meet her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during a visit to Moscow, which will be organised in the next two weeks.
Source: RES
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