Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Friday sternly criticized a bill on Ukraine that passed the US Senate, saying Washington was doing its utmost to “destroy the carcass of cooperation” between the two countries.
Relations between Russia and the United States are at their lowest since the Cold War, Reuters wrote. The West has, together with the European Union, imposed several rounds of economic sanctions on Russia.
The Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014, which was passed in the Senate on Thursday and now heads to the House of Representatives, would direct President Barack Obama to impose additional sanctions on Russia’s defense and oil sectors, and provide for $350 million of military assistance to Ukraine, as well as supporting its defense and energy industries and civil society.
Obama expressed caution on Thursday about the possibility of more sanctions against Russia, saying it could cause divisions between Washington and Europe.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the possible damage to US-Russian relations was comparable to that done by the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment, which for decades imposed trade restrictions on countries that limited human rights.
“One gets the impression that in Washington, where they cannot abandon outdated phobias, they have taken it upon themselves to turn the clock back,” the ministry said.
Russia ‘Will Respond’
Russia will respond to fresh sanctions from the United States, deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday after US lawmakers passed the bill.
“Undoubtedly, we will not be able to leave this without a response,” Ryabkov told Interfax news agency.
Ryabkov blamed “anti-Russian moods” in the United States for the passing of the bill on Friday allowing Washington to provide lethal military assistance to Ukraine and threatening fresh sanctions against Russia.
“We are of course concerned at the way the mood is running on Capitol Hill,” Ryabkov said.
“We see the passing by both houses the above legislative act as yet another demonstration of anti-Russian moods and attempts to dictate decisions to us that for us are categorically unacceptable.”
