The US Treasury Secretary said on Wednesday that he would announce significant sanctions against Russia later that day or on Thursday morning. Bessent's announcement was made just before NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's visit to the White House and shortly after the announcement that European Union countries had reached unanimity on the adoption of the 19th package of sanctions against Russia.
– This afternoon, after the (stock exchange) closes, or as the first thing tomorrow, we will announce a significant increase in sanctions against Russia, Bessent said during a conversation with journalists, answering PAP's question whether the time has come to increase sanctions against Russia. However, he declined to provide details of the restrictions.
New US sanctions against Russia?
Although the shape of the announced sanctions is not known, in the past, President Donald Trump and Bessent himself have talked about the possibility of introducing high tariffs on countries importing Russian oil and gas – including China – as well as on the Russian “shadow fleet”.
Also on Wednesday, the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee passed three draft bills on sanctions for the first time this term: on including Russia on the list of countries supporting terrorism, on confiscating the frozen assets of the Russian central bank and on sanctions on Chinese entities supporting the Russian war machine.
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What sanctions has the US Treasury Secretary announced?
When will new sanctions against Russia be announced?
What does the 19th European Union sanctions package include?
What sanctions bills passed in the US Senate?
New sanctions against Russia also in the European Union
The European Union is also to impose new sanctions on Russia. Member countries reached unanimity on the 19th sanctions package on Wednesday evening, the Danish presidency announced. It provides for, among others: ban on importing Russian LNG from 2027
The package also included a transaction ban for Rosneft and Gazprom Neft and sanctions on further ships from the so-called Russian shadow fleet used to circumvent oil sanctions.
– We have just received notification from the last member state that it may withdraw its reservations regarding the 19th sanctions package – an EU diplomat told PAP. This country was Slovakia – the Prime Minister of this country, Robert Fico, had earlier announced the withdrawal of the veto.
A written procedure for approval by states has been launched. If no objections are received, the package will be adopted on Thursday at 8.
