US Threatens to Expand Anti-Russia Sanctions to Enforce Minsk Accords
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The United States is prepared to expand the sanctions against Russia if Moscow does not fulfill the Minsk accords, however, no new measures will be introduced at present, a senior US administration official told Sputnik.
Western powers extended the sanctions against Russia in June 2015 for additional six months.
“We have no new US actions to announce at this time, but we and our international partners are prepared to increase the costs for Russia should its actions so require,” the official stated on Monday in commenting the reports that Washington is preparing to “starve off” Russia’s access to Western credit, Sputnik reported.
On Saturday, The Times of London reported that senior US officials have drafted proposals to further close off credit for Russia if Moscow fails to fulfill its Minsk agreements’ commitments.
“As G-7 (Group of Seven) leaders made clear at the Summit in Schloss Elmau in June, we and our G-7 allies remain committed to maintaining pressure on Russia to fulfill its Minsk obligations.”
He added the sanctions will remain in place, “and we will continue to enforce them, until the Minsk agreements are fully implemented.”
The United States, the European Union and a number of their allies have introduced several rounds of sanctions targeting Russia’s energy, defense and banking sectors, as well as particular individuals due to Moscow’s alleged role in the Ukrainian conflict.
Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the internal conflict in eastern Ukraine and stated the sanctions approach is counterproductive.
The Minsk agreements provide a number of measures to facilitate the Ukrainian peace process, elaborated by the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine in February 2015. The deal includes provisions on ceasefire between the Kiev forces and Donbas independence fighters.
