US prepares second sanctions package against Russia for Salisbury poisoning
The US is still considering the second package of sanctions against Russia in connection with the Salisbury incident, a source in the US Department of State told RIA Novosti.
“We are not announcing the sanctions, but that is because we are still considering them, and because we would like to be certain that we are doing it correctly,” the source said.
At the start of November, the State Department informed Congress that Moscow had failed to meet the requirements prescribed by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control Act. International inspectors had not been allowed to view Russia’s chemical facilities, and the country’s leaders had been unable to guarantee convincingly that no chemical weapons will be used in future.
The first package of sanctions deriving from this act came into force on August 27, and the second package will soon be imposed due to Russia’s failure to comply with demands, the source noted.
The act envisages six options for sanctions, and requires the president to take at least three of them. The options include a suspension of diplomatic relations; a prohibition of loans – local and international – to sanctioned entities; a ban on exporting goods and technologies, except for food and agriculture; a ban on all imports from the country under sanctions, including oil and oil products, and a ban on flights to and from the US by the national air carrier, which could affect Aeroflot directly.