Russia Bans US President Biden, Hillary Clinton, Top US Officials From Entering Russia

 

US President Joe Biden has been banned from entering Russia in response to sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Biden has not visited Russia since 2011, when he was vice president to Barack Obama. His trip to Moscow included talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mr Blinken has been a key figure in the US response to the war in Ukraine, visiting Brussels to meet with NATO and European leaders as the West co-ordinates sanctions against Russian politicians, oligarchs, banks, and other individuals and entities.

Senior White House officials make up the bulk of the 13-name "stop list", which also features Hillary Clinton. The former presidential candidate visited Russia a handful of times when she was secretary of state, but has not been since a 2012 trip for a diplomatic summit in Vladivostok.

Russia's foreign ministry said it would still maintain official relations with Washington and make high-level contact with those on the list if necessary.

The additions to its "stop list" were a response to US sanctions, the ministry said, which have included what were described by Mr Biden as "strong limitations" on what can be exported from the US to Russia.

Other sanctions announced by Mr Biden so far include moves against some of Russia's largest banks.

Will Russian sanctions make a difference?

The UK upped its own sanctions package against Russia earlier on Tuesday, with another 350 nationals and entities named in the government's latest listings.

Luxury goods exports to Russia have also been banned and import tariffs on Russian products hiked.

Mr Putin has previously claimed Western sanctions against his regime are "equivalent to declaring war", as he continues to defend his invasion of Ukraine.

The so-called "special military operation" is widely seen as having not gone to plan, but Russia has continued to bombard major cities - forcing millions to flee their homeland.

Kyiv remains under Ukrainian control, with a 35-hour curfew set to be imposed after several tower blocks were attacked by Russian forces outside the capital.