McCain concerned that US sanctions against Russia are 'selective'
The senator is concerned that the United States buys rocket engines from Russian Energomash.
US Republican Senator John McCain thinks that the Obama administration selectively enforces sanctions imposed against Russia for the invasion of Crimea.
In a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, McCain writes about the special relations of the Obama administration with NPO Energomash, a Russian rocket manufacturer from whom the USA buys RD-180 rocket engines.
"I write to express my concern with the appearance of selective enforcement of sanctions imposed in response to the invasion of Crimea by the Russian Federation. I am particularly troubled that, today, the Administration is allowing for the procurement of rocket engines for military space launches that result in the payment of money to a Russian state-owned corporation controlled by officers or directors who have been individually sanctioned in connection with that invasion," McCain’s letter says.
Among the individuals included in the sanctions list are the head of Rostec Corporation, Sergey Chemezov, and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin. The senator pointed out that the sanctions apply to other companies, whose operations are by controlled Rostec. According to him, U.S. authorities actively engage in hypocrisy by keeping a ‘special relationship’ with the space industry.
McCain called on the U.S. Treasury to establish whether American tax dollars are lining the pockets of persons subject to sanctions for the invasion of Crimea. He has asked for the investigation results to be shared with the Senate Committee on Armed Services, which he heads.
During his visit to Moscow on March 25th, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that the USA is ready to lift sanctions against Russia once the Minsk Agreements are fully implemented. In turn, the head of the U.S. Department of the Treasury stressed that sanctions are a powerful political weapon, which cannot be treated lightly.