A proposal has been put forward in the US Senate to automatically impose sanctions on Putin
This was reported by Alex Raufoglu, a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist in Washington.
Under what conditions could new sanctions be imposed?
The bill proposes to oblige the US President, 15 days after the law comes into force and every three months thereafter, to assess the Kremlin’s actions. The focus is on whether Russia is participating in peace talks, whether it is honouring any agreements reached, and whether it is engaging in new acts of aggression against Ukraine.
If the US administration concludes that Moscow is refusing to negotiate, breaching a peace agreement, preparing a new offensive or attempting to destabilise the Ukrainian government, sanctions would be triggered automatically.
Vladimir Putin and other senior Russian officials could be subject to these restrictions. It is proposed that their assets in the US be frozen and that they be barred from entering the country.
What other restrictions are being proposed?
The amendment also provides for a ban on imports into the US of Russian platinum-group metals, nickel and copper. The ban is to take effect 90 days after the law is passed and will remain in force for at least one year after the US President officially confirms the cessation of Russian hostilities against Ukraine.
In addition to Russian officials, the sanctions could affect state-owned banks, mining companies, sanctioned oligarchs, as well as foreign companies and individuals who are helping the Kremlin to wage war.
The amendment was introduced against the backdrop of discussions in Congress regarding a broader package of sanctions against Russia. It was previously reported that US President Donald Trump’s administration had backed an updated bill which, among other things, provides for 500 per cent tariffs on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil, gas and uranium.
News of a possible tightening of sanctions has already affected the Russian stock market. Shares in a number of major companies, including Gazprom, Sberbank, VTB, Rosneft and VK, have lost some of their value.
Follow us on our Telegram channel
