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What Washington signalled on 22 March 2022
Summary
A look back at sanctions plans aimed at Russia's Duma, a sniper's video message and a planned trip to Europe.
What was the United States preparing against Russia's legislature on 22 March 2022? On that date, Biden announced plans to impose sanctions on hundreds of members of the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament.
The announcement came with a diplomatic trip already on the calendar. According to a statement two days earlier, on 20 March, by White House press secretary Jen Psaki, Biden was due to travel to Warsaw on 25 March. That visit was to follow meetings in Brussels with NATO allies, G7 leaders and the European Union.
A rumour answered
The same day brought a different kind of news. Wali, a former sniper in the Canadian air force, had been the subject of rumours that Russia had killed him. During a video call on 22 March, he said he was alive.
Taken together, the day's reports showed Washington setting out new financial pressure on Russian lawmakers while preparing for a round of meetings with allies in Europe.
