(Dan Tri) – The Russian Ambassador to the US criticized the West after Washington and the UK launched an embargo on metals from Moscow.
Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov (Photo: Tass).
Washington has banned the import of aluminum, copper and nickel originating from Russia into the US, and coordinated with the UK to prevent trading of these metals on global exchanges.
This decision will affect metals produced in Russia after April 13.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced on April 12 that new sanctions would `continue to target the revenue that Russia can earn` to fund its military activities in Ukraine.
Ms Yellen added that the US aims to `reduce Russia’s income while protecting our partners and allies from unwanted spillovers`.
After the move from the US, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov accused this of being an irrational and politicized step. He warned that this embargo will definitely be counterproductive.
Washington’s decision was `probably based on calculations that commodity prices will not skyrocket in the United States itself,` Antonov said, noting that the United States has reduced metal imports from Russia to a minimum.
He said that the US has forced companies to refuse beneficial contracts with reliable suppliers from Russia.
`However, it would be easy for the US to create imbalances in global markets by involving its allies in sanctions. The US describes such illegal steps as evidence of`
According to Ambassador Antonov, by introducing new sanctions against Russia, the US is sending a signal to Kiev that it does not agree to negotiate with Moscow.
`Should the new restrictions be seen as a response to Russia’s willingness to make concrete proposals to resume negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine? In this case, the purpose of the measures
After more than 2 years of fighting, Russia has been imposed with at least 17,500 sanctions, becoming the most embargoed country in the world.
Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that the country would take further steps to resolve Western sanctions and diversify foreign trade activities.
He spoke about the `economic gaps` caused by the West’s `illegal unilateral sanctions policy` as well as plans to respond within the framework of the Group of Emerging Economies (BRICS) and the Organization