US refused to lift Crimea-related sanctions against Russia
The US does not intend to lift the sanctions against Russia with respect to the Crimea, White House representative Sean Spicer stated on Wednesday the 8th of February. “There are two sets of sanctions that we are dealing with. One is the ones with respect to Crimea. And I think that US Ambassador Haley has addressed that very forcefully at the UN, that until Russia leaves Crimea, those sanctions are a non-starter,” Spicer stated in response to journalists’ questions during a traditional press briefing.
He refused to comment on the initiative of a number of senators aimed at preventing Donald Trump from single-handedly easing restrictive measures against Moscow.
Earlier, a group of six senators including Republican from South Carolina, Lindsey Graham and Democrat from the State of Maryland, Ben Cardin, introduced a bill for consideration by the US Congress, which prevents Trump from lifting sanctions on Russia. The document proposes that the White House will have to provide an account which properly substantiates the necessity of lifting the sanctions, after which the US Congress will have 120 days to block the president’s initiative.
Nikki Haley, the new US ambassador to the UN stated during her first speech to the security council on the 3rd of February that Washington condemns Russia’s “aggressive actions” in Eastern Ukraine. “Crimea is a part of Ukraine. Our Crimea-related sanctions will remain in place until Russia returns control of the peninsula to Ukraine,” Haley emphasized.