Falcon powers – Russian Ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, stated today that the United States, by imposing new sanctions on Russia, is sending a signal to Kiev not to agree to negotiate with Moscow.
The ambassador said, “Are the new restrictions actually a reaction to Russia’s extended hand with concrete proposals to resume negotiations to resolve the situation in Ukraine? If that’s the case, then the purpose of the restrictions is clear: a signal to Kiev with instructions not to agree to anything, even if it leads to death on the front line.”
The diplomat pointed out that “the strict announced ban on the trade of Russian aluminum, copper, and nickel is another unjustified and provocative step,” and Antonov emphasized that “moreover, this action is not even a ‘shot in the leg,’ but ‘random gunfire.'”
The US Treasury Department had announced in a statement that it is banning the import and entry of aluminum, copper, and nickel of Russian origin into the United States, except as provided by law or specified by license. The statement indicated that these restrictions do not affect copper, aluminum, and nickel from Russia that were produced before April 13 of this year.
The British government also announced on Friday evening its joining of the US ban on the import of aluminum, copper, and nickel from Russian sources to the United Kingdom.
