European Union agrees to freeze assets of Putin and minister

[Wicked Blue]

Source: AP

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union agreed to freeze the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov along with other sanctions, according to Latvia’s foreign minister.

A decision to freeze Putin and Lavrov’s assets indicates that Western powers are moving toward unprecedented measures to try to stop the brutal invasion of Russia’s neighbor and a major war in Europe.

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said in a Tweet on Friday that the EU’s foreign ministers “adopted the 2nd sanctions package” and added that “the asset freeze includes President of Russia and its Foreign Minister.”

He said the EU plans to prepare another package of sanctions.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-business-china-asia-b57700241d650315db1eb0e8516ce2d6

[PatSeg]

1. K&R

[Happy Hoosier]

2. Seriously? They hadn't already?

Ukraine is Fuuuuuucked.

[Wicked Blue]

4. They were in heavy discussions until just minutes ago

When I spotted this on AP, the story was just breaking

BTW thanks to AP, DU beat CNN, BBC and the Washington News on this story

[hamsterjill]

10. And now they will have to FIND them

To freeze them.

Look, I hope the assessment that Putin is an idiot proves to be true - as has been voiced by many on DU. I truly hope he is.

But I’ll reserve judgment on that for a bit. What he may or may not lack in savvy, he might make up for that with the fact that he has no morality whatsoever. Somehow, I think he’s probably been expecting this and has prepared by hiding his assets.

[FakeNoose]

11. Ask Deutsche Bank, I'll bet they know

[hamsterjill]

12. I'll bet they know.

But will they cooperate?

[Leghorn21]

3. Good good good

Sleazy smarmy motherfuckers

[RockCreek]

5. How many more oligarchs and families short is that?

Dozens? Hundreds (when you include family members, etc)?
And what about non-EU countries? Has the US done this basic measure yet?

[Haggard Celine]

6. They need to do more than freeze them.

They need to slowly transfer the funds into other accounts, charities that help people harmed by the Russian regime. Every time the Russians advance, transfer $100 million or so. Make it hurt.

[smb]

7. They're Going To Freeze Putin's Assets?

Better warn future generations against thawing out the big orange blobby one....

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

8. Your Big Bootied Babushkas account has been frozen Vlad.

Access denied.

[onetexan]

9. Putin & Lavrov both need to be tried at Nuremburg for crimes against humanity.

[AngryOldDem]

13. Explain it to me like I'm 5...

Been trying to figure this out by watching the news and Jen Psaki’s briefing. Just what is the ultimate impact here? How will this change anything? Will they be able to track down and freeze all of Putin’s assets? Is this a stair step to increasingly punitive measures?

And does Putin really care that he could become a world “pariah,” as the story said?

Just tryin’ to understand — I know I probably sound stupid. I don’t see how this will make much difference to a madman like Vlad.