Biden to unveil new Russia sanctions, energy aid in Brussels

President Joe Biden and allies meeting Thursday in Brussels are expected to announce both new sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and fresh measures designed to keep the Kremlin from sidestepping existing economic penalties, the White House said.

The announcement will involve “not just on adding new sanctions but on ensuring there is joint effort to crack down on evasion,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Tuesday.

The moves are expected to cap an intense day of diplomacy that will see Biden attend an emergency NATO summit, a meeting of the Group of 7, and a session of the European Council.

In addition to sanctions, the U.S. and partner nations are expected to announce a new action aimed at “enhancing European energy security and reducing Europe’s dependence on Russian gas,” Sullivan said. The White House did not provide details of what that effort would entail, though the U.S. has sought to recruit energy producers to step up exports during the crisis.

Biden will also use the meeting to coordinate potential responses to hypothetical outcomes, including the possible use of weapons of mass destruction or cyber attacks by Russia, Sullivan said.

Leaders will also discuss how to respond if China provides assistance to Moscow to bolster Russia’s military or subvert economic sanctions. The U.S. wants to discuss the matter before the European Union holds an April 1 summit with Chinese leaders, Sullivan said.

“We believe we’re very much on the same page with our European partners, and we will be speaking with one voice on this issue,” he said.

Earlier this month, U.S. officials said they believed the Russians had requested assistance from Beijing. But Sullivan said Tuesday that since Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke last week, the U.S. had not seen the provision of military equipment to Russia.

Biden is also expected to announce additional U.S. contributions to the humanitarian response to the Ukraine conflict, benefiting both Ukrainians still inside the country and refugees who have fled to other Eastern European countries.