By Kylie MacLellan

LONDON (Reuters] – In an effort to prevent aggression against Ukraine, Liz Truss, British Foreign Secretary said Sunday that new legislation will be introduced by the British government to increase sanctions for Russia.

Truss holds tens, thousands of Russian troops positioned near Ukraine border. Truss had previously refused to impose personal sanctions on President Vladimir Putin in case Russia invades Ukraine. Moscow insists that this is not the intention.

Western countries including Britain have threatened to impose https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/how-financial-western-sanctions-might-target-russia-2022-01-19 a range of new financial and economic sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine.

The legislation allows us to hit more targets. There can’t be anyone who doesn’t think they are immune to sanctions.” Truss told Sky News that Truss is scheduled to visit Russia and Ukraine over the next two week.

She stated that companies involved in destabilizing Ukraine may have been targeted previously. According to plans that will be presented this week, it would be expanded to include Russian financial institutions and energy companies as well as oligarchs who are close to the Kremlin.

“Any Russian company that is of concern to Putin and his regime would be eligible to be targeted.”

Truss was asked if new powers might include the power to seize London property.

The Center for American Progress, a U.S. think tank, said in an article about sanctions https://www.americanprogress.org/article/how-the-united-states-should-respond-if-russia-invades-ukraine last week that Britain would face a challenge uprooting wealthy Russians with Kremlin links from London given close ties “between Russian money and the United Kingdom’s ruling conservative party, the press, and its real estate and financial industry”.

Truss replied that there was a threat to democracy and freedom in Europe when he was asked about it. This is far more significant than any short-term economic gain, not only for Britain but for all our European partners.

NATO DEPLOYMENT

The British government said on Saturday https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/britain-considering-major-nato-deployment-amid-ukraine-crisis-2022-01-29 it was considering making a major NATO deployment as part of a plan to strengthen Europe’s borders in response to the massed Russian troops.

Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, is scheduled to travel to the region next week. He will also speak by telephone to Putin.

Britain has supplied lethal weapons to Ukraine in order to assist it with its defense, and a few military personnel for training. Truss however stated on Sunday that British combat troops were unlikely to be sent to Ukraine.

The Ukrainians will “fight hard” against Russia if it invades Ukraine, she said. It was most likely that Russia would be in an “uncertain” situation similar to those in Afghanistan and Chechnya.