VP Harris says sanctions would absolutely deter Putin, despite saying he made up his mind on invading Ukraine

Fox News reports that Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday said she believes sanctions on Russia would absolutely deter President Vladimir Putin, despite she and President Biden saying that he has already made up his mind on a potential invasion. 

Harris made her remarks to reporters at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, amid fears of a Russian invasion in Ukraine. The vice president called the sanctions "some of the greatest sanctions, if not the strongest," that the U.S. has ever issued. 

"As I articulated yesterday, it is directed at institutions — in particular, financial institutions — and individuals, and it will exact absolute harm for the Russian economy and their government," Harris said. 

Fox News points out that her comments come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pleaded for the U.S. and allies to impose sanctions against Russia now -- before a potential invasion of Ukraine happens. 

"We don't need your sanctions after the bombardment will happen, and after our country will be fired at or after we will have no borders or after we will have no economy or parts of our country will be occupied," Zelenskyy said at the security conference. "Why would we need those sanctions then?"

"And within the context then of the fact that that window is still opening, altho- — open, although it is absolutely narrowing — but within the context of a diplomatic path still being open, the deterrence effect, we believe, has merit," she added. 

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