Russian troops stationed in Ukraine's Donbas will not trigger more sanctions says a U.S. official

Russian troops stationed in Ukraine’s Donbas will not trigger more sanctions, says a U.S. official. 

WASHINGTON: President Vladimir Putin’s decision to send peacemakers’ troops into regions that are split from Ukraine is not an additional invasion that could cause a broader sanctions plan, according to one Biden administration official said to Reuters on Monday. 

However, it is believed that the White House considers a full invasion could occur anytime.

The United States will continue to seek diplomatic relations with Russia until “tanks are full,” another official told journalists.

The Russian president’s recognition of two regions that broke away as autonomous and his decision to bring in troops increased the stakes with the West in the dispute over Ukraine.

The White House announced after Putin’s announcement that it would not permit U.S. investment in those regions that are divided.

MORE: Putin issues orders Russian forces to Ukraine after acknowledging the regions that have split off. 

The official who spoke with reporters said further measures would come out on Tuesday. However, those measures were distinct from a larger package of sanctions Washington has pledged to take with its allies should Russia decides to invade Ukraine.

The official who first spoke to the administration stated to Reuters that sending Russian troops into areas of separatism did not represent a change from the actions Russia has done before, and that’s why it didn’t create the more severe sanctions.

“This isn’t another attack since it’s a territory they’ve already occupied.” an official claimed.

The official who spoke to journalists on the conference call said that sending Russian soldiers into the Donbas region in the eastern part of Ukraine was not something new.

“Russian troops entering Donbas will not be an entirely new move. Russia has been deploying troops within Donbas for a long time. Donbas region for over seven decades… They are now making decisions to move this into more explicit as well as … more open manner,” he said.

The president declared that the United States would continue to seek diplomatic talks with Russia unless an attack occurred. “Russia continues to intensify the crisis caused it in the initial place. We will continue to work towards diplomatic efforts until the tanks are rolling; however, we have no illusions as to what’s likely to follow.”

Putin has instructed Russia’s defense ministry to send troops in the two regions to “keep pace” in a decree he issued just hours after the announcement of the recognition of Russia-backed separatists in the. 

President Joe Biden has criticized Putin’s decision to accept the region. 

Biden wanted to define what the United States would consider an invasion. “If any of the assembled Russian units cross over the Ukrainian border, it is considered an incursion,” Biden said.

Biden released an executive decision on Monday which White House spokesperson Jen Psaki declared will “prohibit the creation of new investments and trade as well as funding from U.S. persons to, from, or within what is known as DNR as well as LNR areas from Ukraine.”

The decision will “also give the authority to impose sanctions against anyone who is found to be operating in these regions within Ukraine,” Psaki said.

“To be precise: These measures are distinct from and could be added to the sweeping and severe economic measures that we’ve prepared in collaboration with Allies and our partners if Russia continues to invade Ukraine,” she said.

Administration officials have cast doubt over the possibility that Biden, who had agreed in principle to have a meeting with Putin in the event Russia does not invade Ukraine, will follow on with the plan considering Moscow’s recent actions.