Washington is exploring other ways to put pressure on Russia besides imposing sanctions, said the US permanent representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker.
“Sanctions are just one of the cards that President Trump is playing. Today in Brussels I discussed with CIA Director Ratcliffe the other options that the president has. President Trump intends to use them when he deems them necessary“, he said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.
Last week, the US Treasury Department included Rosneft, Lukoil and 34 subsidiaries of these companies in a new package of anti-Russian sanctions. White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said Washington expects these restrictions to put significant pressure on Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that the new US restrictions will not significantly affect the country's "economic well-being." He noted that the sanctions are a hostile act against Moscow.