Sanctions

Austrian Stakeholder of Nord Stream 2 Hits Back at US Pressure on EU Gas Market
Earlier in January, European companies participating in the venture aimed at building a new route for Russian gas to bypass Ukraine, reportedly received threatening letters from US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell. He warned the firms about the sanctions risk their involvement in the project incurs. [...]
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Russia says it’s business as usual, EU sanctions extension changes nothing
The European Union’s economic sanctions against Russia will be extended for another six months, European Council President Donald Tusk has said. The measures targeting Russia’s economy were due to expire next month. “The EU unanimously prolongs economic sanctions against Russia given zero progress in implementation of Minsk agreements,” Tusk said on Twitter. [...]
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Russia’s top 5 trump cards in the sanctions game against the US
Washington's reported plans to ratchet up sanctions against Moscow have sparked heated debates both in the US and in Russia over which country will be hurt more. The US has hinted that it would target exports of sensitive national security goods to Russia, stop flights by Russia's Aeroflot airlines to the US, and could go as far as banning all US exports to Russia. [...]
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Cuba Sees EU Effort to Sidestep Iran Sanctions as Blueprint to Break US Embargo
A senior Cuban official says the country is looking closely at the Special Purpose Vehicle the EU is creating for Iran, because Havana may benefit from a similar mechanism. [...]
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At Least 13 States Mull Buying Russia’s S-400 Despite US Sanctions – Reports
At least 13 countries have expressed their interest in purchasing the Russian S-400 Triumph surface-to-air missile systems instead of US equipment despite the likelihood of provoking Washington’s sanctions, media reported citing people with first-hand knowledge of a US intelligence assessment. [...]
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Iranian central bank disconnected from SWIFT messaging – US treasury
The Iranian Central Bank has been cut off the SWIFT financial messaging system, the US Treasury Department has said. Disconnection makes it more difficult for the Islamic Republic to settle import and export bills. [...]
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Up is Down: Trump Oil Sanctions on Iran Likely to Increase Tehran Sales – Report
New sanctions placed on Iran by US President Donald Trump are likely to have the reverse effect the White House is hoping for, according to new reports, as Tehran’s petroleum exports are set to increase just as Washington’s restrictions commence. [...]
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US threatens to smack SWIFT with sanctions if it fails to cut off financial services to Iran
US threatens to smack SWIFT if it allows transactions in violation of Iran sanctions. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has warned global financial messaging service SWIFT on Friday that it could be penalized if it doesn’t cut off financial services to entities and individuals doing business with Iran. [...]
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Germany Paying Biggest Price for Sanctions Against Russia – Report
The US, Canada and EU states have suffered economic setbacks as a result of imposing anti-Russian sanctions, but a recent report suggests that certain countries have been affected more than others. [...]
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EU 404? Not finding itself on Iran exemption list, Europe vows to defy US sanctions
European countries have vowed to maintain “effective financial channels” and to keep trading with Tehran after the US announced that the EU is not among those spared from its sweeping sanctions against Iran. [...]
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Russian space boss ‘temporarily’ taken off sanction list so he can visit US – NASA chief
NASA managed to convince the White House to ‘temporarily’ lift the travel ban imposed on Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin so he could pay a visit to the US, the head of NASA said on Friday. NASA “succeeded” in temporarily “removing” the head of the Russian national space agency ‘Roscosmos’ from the sanctions list, Jim Bridenstine told TASS news agency. [...]
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US won’t impose economic sanctions against Saudis to protect its arms sales to kingdom – analysts
The US sanctions threat against Saudi Arabia will likely remain only a threat, analysts have told RT. The kingdom is a major buyer of American arms and is also a huge holder of US Treasury bonds which makes sanctions improbable. [...]
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US sanctions policy against Russia undermines dollar’s reserve currency position – Goldman Sachs
Washington’s aggressive policy against Moscow could be a sufficient reason behind the recent fall of the dollar’s share of global central-bank reserves, according to economist at US multinational investment bank Goldman Sachs.  Russia’s Central Bank has sold some $85 billion of its $150 billion holding of the US assets from April through June after the US Treasury Department announced new s [...]
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EU Tries to Persuade US to Exempt SWIFT From Iran Sanctions
Washington’s sanctions against Tehran would fundamentally change other countries’ economic cooperation with the Islamic Republic, the Financial Times has written. EU finance ministers will try to persuade the US administration not to disconnect Iran from the international payment system SWIFT, the newspaper reported on Tuesday. [...]
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US trade tariffs are economic sanctions in disguise, says Putin
US steel and aluminum tariffs are in reality economic sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at his annual Q&A session. “Apparently, our partners thought they would never be affected by such a counterproductive policy related to restrictions and sanctions. However, we see now that it is happening.” [...]
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China cancels its top navy officer’s visit to US over Trump’s sweeping sanctions
China has canceled the visit of its Navy commander to the US, in response to the sanctions imposed by Washington against Beijing over its military cooperation with Russia, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said. On Thursday, the US State Department imposed sanctions against Beijing’s defense procurement agency, the Equipment Development Department (EED), for its “significant transaction [...]
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‘Manifestation of hegemony’: China slams US sanctions over its Russian arms deal
China has hit back at US attempts to force it out of multiple billion-dollar arms deals with Russia, with a defense spokesperson stating that Washington has “no right to interfere” in the dealings of two sovereign states. Wu Qian’s comments come after the US State Department imposed sanctions on Thursday against Beijing’s defense procurement agency, the Equipment Development Department (EE [...]
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‘I hope there’ll be no sanctions’ over S-400 purchase plan, Saudi envoy tells Russia
After the US imposed sanctions on China for buying a Russian air defense system, Saudi Arabia, which is in talks to purchase it as well, hopes it won't suffer the same fate. It is, after all, one of Washington's best friends. [...]
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‘Remedy the mistake or bear the consequences’: China hits back at US over sanctions on military
Beijing has threatened that Washington will face “consequences” if it doesn’t withdraw the recent batch of sanctions against China over military cooperation with Russia. China’s Foreign Ministry did not mince words, saying Washington should immediately correct its “mistakes” before it’s too late or face the consequences for the decision. [...]
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