Expanded US Sanctions Reflect Discredited Anti-Russia Policy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The United States' expanded list of sanctions reflect a discredited anti-Russia policy of the outgoing Obama administration, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Tuesday.
The US Department of the Treasury added six Russian lawmakers representing Crimea to the Ukraine-related sanctions list, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement Monday.
"Another extension of US sanctions list is a manifestation of a completely failed, bankrupt policy of the outgoing US administration toward Russia," Ryabkov told RIA Novosti.
Ryabkov stressed that the decision reflects "nothing but the exposure of the inner emptiness and the absence of even a minimal understanding of contemporary realities, particularly the circumstances leading to the reunification of Crimea" with Russia in 2014. Last week, the European Union added the same six lawmakers to its Crimea-related sanctions list, which imposes an asset freeze and travel ban.
Moscow will respond in kind to US sanctions, but hopes that figures who approach Russian-US relations responsibly will come to replace the outgoing Obama administration, Sergey Ryabkov added.
"Our answer, of course, will follow. We will not announce right now in what form and what kind." Ryabkov pointed out that, in addition to devising response measures, Moscow is looking toward working over the next four years with US President-elect Donald Trump. "Our task is different, it is to look to the future, to focus on a more positive agenda after the authors of this failed policy resign, and people who we hope approach relations with Russia more responsibly will come in their place."
