Russia bans Ben Stiller and Sean Penn from entering the country

Russia bans Ben Stiller and Sean Penn from entering the country
September 7, 2022, 10:46 am

I was in Lviv, Ukraine today with CORE team, strategizing with local governance & NGO’s to scale up our in-country programs. Good meeting with Gov. Maksym Kozytskyy - Sean Penn official Twitter account

Kremlin officials have added US actors Ben Stiller and Sean Penn to Russia's "stop list". This means they are now banned from entering the country, according to the BBC.

The latest retaliatory measures from Russia come as a response to sanctions by the US administration. The latest were announced on Friday as part of a wider plan by the G7 to impose a price cap on Russian oil in a bid to scupper Moscow's ability to finance its war.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the cap would also help fight inflation, which is on the rise in many of the world's economies.

The two actors are now among 1,073 names on Russia's "stop list". It also includes US film director Rob Reiner, incoming British Prime Minister Liz Truss and scores of UK, US and EU officials.

They join the likes of fellow Hollywood star Morgan Freeman, US President Joe Biden and outgoing UK PM Boris Johnson.

Good morning. pic.twitter.com/4LeiBEzwye
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) September 6, 2022

Stiller and Penn have been outspoken critics of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and both have visited Kyiv since the start of the conflict.

Stiller - who is a goodwill ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) - made clear his feelings for Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on a trip he made to the country to mark World Refugee Day in June.

EU split on visa ban for Russia as Kremlin slams 'irrational' call

In a clip of the pair, the star thanks Zelensky for "taking the time" to meet him and says: "You're my hero, you're amazing."

Meanwhile, Penn, who is known for his political activism as much as he is for his films, fled Ukraine in March while filming a documentary about the conflict. He later said he considered joining Ukrainian forces to fight against Russia.

Russia and some Western nations have been exchanging rounds of sanctions since the war in Ukraine began.

levantnews-BBC

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