The United States has imposed sanctions on almost 5,000 Russians, together with its high management and oligarchs, within the aftermath of the Moscow invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
“We have worked with allies and partners to impose costs, including visa restrictions for Kremlin officials and their enablers. Since February 24, 2022, the United States has taken steps to impose visa restrictions on nearly 5,000 individuals in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” a State Department spokesperson mentioned.
“We will continue to identify those involved in Russia’s invasion and will promote accountability for their conduct. We are looking at all tools to hold the Kremlin to account,” mentioned the official.
“The US wouldn’t want to close off pathways to refuge and safety for Russia’s dissidents or others who are vulnerable to human rights abuses. We’ve also been clear that it is important to draw a line between the actions of the Russian government and its policies in Ukraine, and the people of Russia,” mentioned the spokesperson.
The spokesperson additionally confirmed that the Russian Ambassador to the US got here to the Department of State on August 18 so the US may warn Russia in opposition to any escalation of its struggle on Ukraine, together with calling on Moscow to stop all navy operations at or close to Ukraine’s nuclear services and to return full management of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear energy plant to the war-torn nation.
“We don’t have anything further to offer on the details of the discussions,” the spokesperson mentioned in response to a query.
During his common every day information convention, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price advised reporters that the US had tapped into its strategic petroleum reserve at an unprecedented tempo by working with allies world wide, together with in areas, actually, midway world wide to surge provides of LNG to its allies and companions in different areas of the world which will expertise a necessity for it, particularly because the winter months strategy.
“Together with our European partners, we’ve also launched a task force focused on the long-term implications of energy, how we can accelerate that transition to renewables and how we can transition away from dependence on Russia and other unreliable, undependable sources of global energy. Those discussions are continuing, as well our discussions with members of OPEC on this,” he mentioned.
Russia will proceed its brutal assaults on the Ukrainian state, on Ukrainian folks, on Ukraine’s independence, its democracy, its territorial integrity as nicely, he alleged.
“There’s also no question that we will continue to stand with our Ukrainian partners. You saw on Friday, we announced an additional presidential drawdown, our 19th presidential drawdown, USD 800 million in that drawdown alone, that brought our total of security assistance to Ukraine to about USD 10 billion since the start of the invasion more, since the start of this administration, and we’ll continue to do more as will our partners around the world,” he mentioned.
