The Russian Embassy in Washington said that the new bill on sanctions against Russia "does a disservice" to the United States. The reason is the package approved by the House of Representatives and sent for President Donald Trump's signature after the Senate had already given support to the initiative aimed at Russian officials, financial institutions and Moscow's energy revenues.
According to the Russian diplomatic mission, quoted by a number of media outlets, the ineffectiveness of the sanctions pressure has been "proven in practice", and the new restrictions would primarily harm the US itself. The Russian side's published statements on the subject also claim that the initiative will complicate relations between Washington and other countries that buy Russian energy resources.
What the bill provides
The American bill is part of a broader package of measures aimed at limiting Russia's ability to finance its war against Ukraine. According to the Associated Press and Reuters, it provides for sanctions against Russian officials and sectors of the economy, as well as mechanisms for putting pressure on countries such as China and India for their purchases of Russian oil and gas.
Supporters of the text in Congress argue that the new measures are needed to limit the Kremlin's resources for continuing the war. However, critics express concerns that some of the tariff instruments could also affect US allies in Europe and other regions.
Reactions after the vote
The decision of the House of Representatives is the final stage in the consideration of the bill in Congress and paves the way for Trump's final decision. The Kremlin has already warned that additional US sanctions would make it difficult to reach a peace agreement for Ukraine.
At the same time, in Kiev, the new sanctions were welcomed as a tool to increase pressure on Moscow. According to the Associated Press, the Ukrainian side sees in the package an opportunity to limit the financing of the Russian military machine.
Thus, the familiar opposition is emerging around the bill: for Washington and its allies, it is a means of pressure on Russia, and for Moscow — a political and economic move that, according to the Russian embassy, will hit the United States itself.
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, Russian Embassy in Washington, U.S. Congress