Trump extends sanctions against Russia for another year
Photo: Donald Trump, President of the United States (flickr by Whitehouse 45)
US President Donald Trump has decided to extend sanctions against Russia for at least another year, according to the relevant document in the Federal Register.
The document emphasizes that the United States first imposed sanctions on Russia in 2014 when Russian soldiers invaded Ukrainian territory, occupying Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Since then, the initial executive order on sanctions, #13660 from 2014, has been repeatedly expanded by US presidents through other orders as Russia continued and escalated its aggression.
The document states that Russia's actions and policies still pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and therefore, sanctions "must continue in effect beyond March 6, 2025".
"Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660," the new executive order reads.
Trump's executive order has not yet been published and is expected to be published tomorrow, February 28.
What Trump said about sanctions against Russia
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said he was ready to strengthen sanctions against Russia. This scenario is possible if Russia refuses to start peace talks with Ukraine.
At the same time, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, assured that Trump was ready to double sanctions against Russia if it would help end the war in Ukraine.
