Hey, good morning, playbookers on Ragu Mnobalovalin. It's Wednesday. Today's show, what we're

watching for as Biden hits to Europe. It's your Politico Playbook Daily Briefing.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, President Joe Biden has focused on three key policies.

One, sanctioning Russia. Two, bolstering NATO's defenses and three, providing security assistance to Ukraine.

All three policies have been calibrated to deter Vladimir Putin's aggression without escalating the conflict.

Biden departs for Brussels this morning, and on Thursday, he attends a trio of emergency summits.

NATO, the G7 and the European Council,

where each of those three pillars of Biden's response to the war will be under pressure.

When it comes to sanctions, on Thursday, Biden and European leaders will reportedly announce a new round of sanctions

against more than 300 members of the Russian Duma.

Per the Wall Street Journal, which broke the news Tuesday night, quote,

the upcoming sanctions package will target 400 individuals,

including 328 lawmakers and Russian elites.

The New York Times adds that the U.S. has previously sanctioned 12 members of the Duma,

but quote, the announcement on Thursday will go far beyond those sanctions

in what one senior official called

a very sweeping action. Most summits are organized over the course of months. Thursday

meetings took shape in just days. Some allies balked at the idea of gathering in Brussels,

worried that there wouldn't be much new to say. In the end, Biden personally prevailed over

the doubters per the times. The day of summits was Mr. Biden's idea.

He settled on it only 10 days ago.

AIDS and diplomats said, hoping to make a show of the continued unity of the West and to send a message to Russia.

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