Biden to Putin: "Who in God's name gave you the right to declare new countries?

President Joe Biden on Tuesday questioned the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin after he recognized the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine.

"Who in God's name gave Putin the right to declare new countries on territory that belongs to his neighbors?" asked Biden in a speech delivered at the White House after announcing what he called the first “block” of sanctions against Russia.

“Este es el comienzo de una invasión rusa”, dijo el mandatario. “Creemos que Rusia está preparada para ir mucho más allá y lanzar un ataque militar masivo contra Ucrania”.

Biden said the "first block" of sanctions would affect Russia's sovereign debt, and its government will be cut off from Western finance, meaning the nation will no longer be able to raise money in the West or trade its debt on U.S. or European markets.

He also said that sanctions will be intensified if Russia continues its offensive moves against Ukraine.

Germany took the first big step against Moscow, taking steps to halt the certification process for Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

"It is now up to the international community to react to this unilateral, incomprehensible, and unjustified action by the Russian president," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told reporters in Berlin on Tuesday. He added that it was necessary to "send a clear signal to Moscow that such actions will not go without consequences."

The rest of the European Union followed in Germany's footsteps, implementing sanctions targeting the 351 Duma lawmakers who voted to recognize separatist Ukrainian regions, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions accused of destabilizing Ukraine, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell confirmed on Twitter.

The measures include restrictions for Russian banks and government agencies. They also limited their access to financial markets and blocked Russia's sovereign debt.

Meanwhile, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed a series of sanctions against five Russian banks and three oligarchs in retaliation for the "violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity," reported El Mundo.

"This is the first layer of what we are prepared to do," Johnson warned. "We will impose further sanctions alongside the European Union and the United States if Russia goes for more."