The United States announced a new package of sanctions against Russia’s “war machine” on Tuesday, the same day Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi is in Washington to plead for approval of financial aid seen as crucial to Kyiv, AFP reported and cited Reuters. from Agerpres.

The sanctions target 150 individuals and entities suspected of supplying or financing the Russian defense industry in the war in Ukraine, and strengthen sanctions against Russia so far in place since the start of the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

“The Kremlin has gradually turned Russia into a military economy, but Putin’s war machine cannot survive on domestic production alone,” Janet Yellen, the US Treasury secretary, was quoted as saying in a statement.

At the same time, the US State Department announced on Tuesday the introduction of sanctions against 100 individuals and organizations, according to a separate statement.

According to the US Treasury Department, Washington is specifically imposing sanctions on individuals and entities in China, Russia, Hong Kong and Pakistan that are involved in the “production of Chinese weapons and technology.”

Chinese national Hu Xiaoxun and his defense company Jarvis HK Co., as well as his network of partners, are being recalled.

The sanctions include freezing the US assets of sanctioned individuals and companies and prohibiting any US citizens and US companies from doing business with individuals and entities subject to the new set of sanctions.

The United States is Kyiv’s most important external supporter, but US President Joe Biden’s pledge to continue financial aid to Ukraine faces serious challenges. Congress last week failed to approve a package for Ukraine worth more than $61 billion.

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the US Congress has already allocated more than 110 billion dollars to support Kyiv, but has not yet adopted a new aid package.

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