The US decision to introduce additional restrictive measures against Russia is harmful to the bilateral ties between Moscow and Washington, according to Russia's Minister of Finance and First Deputy Prime Minister Anton Siluanov. The minister told journalists that the Russian economy has proven to be resilient in the face of external restrictions.
"The flexible macroeconomic system as well as prudent budgetary policy that we have created allows for swift adaptation of our economy to an external hostile environment", Siluanov said.
Addressing the issue of potential sanctions against Russia's sovereign debt, Siluanov assured that the existing financial system in the country is able to accommodate the needs of the budget and businesses in borrowed resources.
US President Donald Trump endorsed a second round of sanctions against Russia on Friday over the alleged assassination attempt against intelligence officer Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2018 with the use of a chemical nerve agent. Washington also accused Russia of failing to take responsibility for the incident and disavow use of chemical weapons.
The U.S. today is announcing a 2nd round of sanctions on #Russia after its use of a #novichok nerve agent in the assassination attempt on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in March 2018. Russia has failed to take responsibility and has not disavowed use of chemical weapons. pic.twitter.com/sAmaWV4PJC
— Morgan Ortagus (@statedeptspox) August 3, 2019
The US also ruled out providing loans or financial assistance to Moscow by the international financial community, including the World Bank and the IMF. The new sanctions will also include additional export licensing restrictions on goods and technology.
The first round of sanctions, introduced under the 1991 Chemical and Biological Weapons and Warfare Elimination Act, went into effect on 27 August 2018. Washington claims that Moscow has allegedly violated the norms stipulated by the legislation.
In March 2018, Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench at a shopping centre in Salisbury, UK. London said they had been subjected to poisoning with a military-grade nerve agent and accused Moscow of allegedly staging the attack.
Moscow, meanwhile, has repeatedly noted that London hasn't provided any evidence proving its role in the poisoning. The Russian authorities have sent over 70 diplomatic notes to the United Kingdom calling for cooperation in the case.
London, however, left them unanswered, instead claiming that Moscow has refused to cooperate on the issue.
