White House: Biden to prohibit trade, investment with Ukraine breakaway regions

President Joe Biden will issue an executive order soon that will prohibit "new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in" the two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized as independent entities on Monday, the White House said. The order will "also provide authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine," White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement.

Psaki said more measures were forthcoming and said these were separate from sanctions that the United States and its allies have been preparing if Russia invades Ukraine.