WASHINGTON, August 20 (RIA Novosti) – The White House confirmed it had suspended a number of bilateral meetings and operations, involving Russian officials, targeted by the US sanctions over the Ukrainian crisis, a spokesperson Caitlin Hayden told RIA Novosti.
“As we’ve said previously, given Russia’s ongoing violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we have suspended some bilateral meetings with the Russian Federation and we are not engaging with sanctioned officials, like Mr. Ivanov,” Hayden stressed in a statement on Tuesday.
The White House representative underlined, however, that “we have been continuing operational counter-narcotics cooperation at the working level.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian Federal Drug Control Service Chief Viktor Ivanov said that Russian-US anti-drug cooperation was affected by the imposed sanctions as US police officers involved in the campaign have been banned from communicating with the Russian official even though the Russian side continues communication. Ivanov offered to continue cooperation despite the sanctions, saying that the problem of drug trafficking remains an issue of concern for all countries.
Ivanov was targeted with US sanctions, including a travel ban, after being earmarked by the United States as belonging to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s «inner circle."
