Vice President Kamala Harris again promised “severe and swift consequences” for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, despite the US lagging in applying the most aggressive sanctions. 

“This is a moment that requires severe and swift consequences for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” Harris said during a news conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw. “What is at stake, this very moment, are some of the guiding principles around the NATO alliance.”

Earlier, Harris touted the “effectiveness of sanctions” implemented so far by Western nations, which have led to the fall of the Russian ruble and a precipitous decline in Moscow’s credit rating. 

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine began Feb. 24, the US and its allies have repeatedly hit Russia with economic sanctions — targeting banks, oligarchs and most recently, oil imports. 

However, many critics — including Republican lawmakers and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — have criticized the White House for not doing more sooner. 

On Feb. 21, President Biden announced his first major move against Russia, barring Americans from doing business in two separatist regions of eastern Ukraine — the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.

The move came as Putin recognized the two regions as “independent” and foreshadowed the full-scale invasion that would soon follow. 

Additionally, the order gave the Treasury Department the “authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki revealed at the time. 

The following day, Biden announced the first formal set of economic sanctions against Russia proper — just two days before Putin’s forces crossed into Ukraine. 

The sanctions targeted two Kremlin-backed banks and moved to restrict Russia’s government from trading its debt on Western financial markets. At the time, Biden teased additional sanctions against Russian oligarchs and their families. 

“Starting tomorrow, and continuing in the days ahead, we will also impose sanctions on Russia’s elites and their family members,” he said at the time. “They share in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well.”

On Feb. 23, the president announced sanctions on the Russian-owned company behind the construction of the controversial Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline — which runs from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.

“As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate,” Biden said. “Through his actions, President Putin has provided the world with an overwhelming incentive to move away from Russian gas and to other forms of energy.”

Republican lawmakers had been urging the administration to implement sanctions on the pipeline for weeks. However, in January the Senate voted down a bill put forward by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to do just that.

The next set of sanctions came on Feb. 24 — the day of Putin’s invasion.

“Putin chose this war. Now he and his country will bear the consequences,” the president said.

Biden revealed the US would be implementing sanctions on four major Russian banks — including the country’s two largest, Sberbank and VTB Bank — and several oligarchs, as well as prohibitions on some high-tech US exports to Russia, after an hour-long call with the leaders of other G7 nations.

At the time, Ukrainian officials questioned why the administration and other allies were not moving to ban Russian access to SWIFT — the international payment system that is used to assist transactions by global banks. 

“I will not be diplomatic on this,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted the day of the invasion. “Everyone who now doubts whether Russia should be banned from SWIFT has to understand that the blood of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children will be on their hands too. BAN RUSSIA FROM SWIFT.”

Members of Congress from both parties also joined Kuleba’s call, with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ) saying “there is more that we can and should do.” 

Two days later, the US and its allies announced an agreement to remove Russian banks from SWIFT. 

Around the same time, the White House said it would join its European allies in directly sanctioning Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for the invasion. 

Get the latestupdatesin the Russia-Ukraine conflict with The Post’s live coverage.

The following week, the White House moved to sanction more Russian oligarchs as part of a NATO pressure campaign against Putin’s inner circle — targeting seven influential families.

“These individuals have enriched themselves at the expense of the Russian people, and some have elevated their family members into high-ranking positions,” a White House press release said.

“Others sit atop Russia’s largest companies and are responsible for providing the resources necessary to support Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. These individuals and their family members will be cut off from the U.S. financial system, their assets in the United States will be frozen and their property will be blocked from use.”

Nineteen oligarchs and 47 relatives or associates were also banned from entering America.

By this time, many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were calling for Biden to cut off Russian oil exports, but the administration still held off. 

The president did not announce a ban on Russian energy imports until five days later, on March 8. 

“Today I’m announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy,” Biden said. “Russian oil will no longer be acceptable at US ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin’s war machine.” 

Biden warned that while the move would “inflict further pain on Putin,” it would also lead to higher prices for gas in the US. 

The announcement came after reports indicated the White House had frantically urged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to stop legislation that would have forced an import ban. 

Last week, Zelensky accused the US and other Western nations of moving “too late” to punish Russia.

“The whole world started making decisions too late,” he said in a televised address. “I want to thank countries that are helping with weapons. We are thankful, but it’s too late.”

He did applaud the West for implementing sanctions, calling it a “good start” and saying, “thank God, now we have those sanctions.” 

Still, the Ukrainian president has called on the West to do more, urging the implementation of no-fly zones.

“I said: If you cannot shut the sky now, then give us a timeline. When will you do it?” Zelensky said last week. “If you can’t provide a timeline now, tell us how many people have to die. How many limbs have to fly off of people’s bodies, so you hear us? How many people will count, and we’ll wait until that moment when you feel comfortable.”

So far, the NATO alliance has stubbornly resisted such a move, viewing it as a dangerous escalation of the conflict.