Russia on Saturday banned 963 Americans from entering the country, including US President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and CIA chief William Burns.
Last month, Russia imposed travel restrictions on US Vice President Kamala Harris, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and dozens of prominent Americans and Canadians in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Ukraine.
The travel restrictions have only a symbolic effect, but are part of a steady deterioration in Russia’s relations with the United States and its allies since the February 24 invasion of Ukraine.
Today’s move comes after President Biden Signed legislation to provide another $40 billion in US aid to Ukraine.
The legislation, which was passed by Congress with bipartisan support, deepens US commitment to Ukraine at a time of uncertainty about the future of the war. Ukraine has successfully defended Kyiv, and Russia has resumed its offensive in the country’s east, but US officials have warned about the potential for a prolonged conflict.
The funding is intended to support Ukraine through September, and it dwarfs an earlier emergency measure that provided $13.6 billion.
The new law would provide $20 billion in military aid, ensuring a steady stream of advanced weapons used to stifle Russia’s progress. $8 billion in general economic aid, $5 billion to address the global food shortage that could result from the collapse of Ukrainian agriculture, and more than $1 billion to help refugees.
Biden signed off on the measure under unusual circumstances. According to a White House official, as he is in the middle of a trip to Asia, a US official brought a copy of the bill on a commercial flight to Seoul for the president’s signature.
The logistics reflect a sense of urgency around continuing US support for Ukraine, but also overlapping international challenges facing Biden.
This story has been published without modification in text from a wire agency feed.