Contents tagged with USA

  • Washington: US will keep trying to prevent Turkey from purchasing S-400 missile systems from Russia

    The administration of US President Donald Trump continues to make efforts aimed at discouraging Turkey from purchasing S-400 air defense systems from Russia, said US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing last Wednesday, May 23.

    "We continue to work to keep Turkey in a place where it doesn’t actually acquire the S-400. I believe that they have not yet [gotten it] and we are hopeful they never take possession," he noted.

    One of the congressmen expressed …

  • Iran threatens to resume uranium enrichment after US withdraws from nuclear deal

    At a joint press conference with European Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said that he does not rule out the possibility that the Islamic Republic of Iran will resume uranium enrichment, Interfax reported.

    "In front of us there is a choice from many possibilities; we can resume enrichment of uranium up to 20%," the official said.

    "If the other side keeps itself committed to its promises, we also will keep them. Our policy is …

  • US preparing new sanctions against Russia for non-compliance with INF missile treaty

    US President Donald Trump instructed Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to prepare additional sanctions against Russia due to Russia’s non-compliance with the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF Treaty), as noted in a statement on the White House website.

    According to paragraph C of the US defense budget for fiscal year 2018, the President is obligated to prepare and submit an action plan to Congress dealing with persons responsible for Russia's …

  • Volker: France and Germany taking 'small steps' in negotiations with Russia, US approaching more ambitiously

    In an interview with Voice of America, US State Department Special Representative Kurt Volker said that while the United States is in constant contact with European partners, the US approach to negotiating with Russia regarding the Donbas conflict sometimes differs from the approach taken by Germany and France.

    "First of all, I believe that France and Germany are very serious [partners of Ukraine]. I think they very clearly understand the nature of the conflict, and Russia's responsibility, …

  • USA threatens Russia with new sanctions

    Acting United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Sigal Mandelker said that Washington is ready to respond with new sanctions to a full range of "malign activity" by Moscow.

    The speaker did not name specific actions and possible measures, noting only that this concerns elements of a corrupt system, thanks to which the government elites and the oligarchs of the Russian Federation receive a "disproportionate profit."

    "We’re sending a very clear message to Russian oligarchs and elites who …

  • Russia preparing sanctions against the USA

    The Russian Parliament adopted in first reading bills on sanctions against the USA and also on criminal liability for compliance with the sanctions against Russia, as reported by the press-service of the State Duma.

    It is reported that 412 Deputies of the Russian State Duma voted in favor of the draft bill. In addition, the MPs also adopted amendments to the Criminal Code that impose responsibility for complying with the Western sanctions in the Russian territory.

    The voting on these draft …

  • US and EU condemn opening of Crimean bridge by Russia

    On Tuesday, May 15, the US Department of State commented on the opening of the Kerch Strait bridge between Russia and Crimea to partial traffic. An official statement by State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert was published on Department’s website.

    "The United States condemns Russia’s construction and partial opening of the Kerch Strait Bridge between Russia and occupied Crimea, which was done without the permission of the government of Ukraine. Crimea is part of Ukraine. Russia’s …

  • Ukrainian intelligence chief explains why US and Russia have stopped Donbas negotiations

    The Kremlin has decided to stop negotiations on the Donbas and to push for better conditions because the Normandy Format countries and the US have not agreed to Russia’s demands, Ukraine’s former foreign intelligence chief Nikolai Malomuzh said in an interview with InfoResist news outlet.

    “In this situation they [the Russian government] have decided to raise the stakes, so to speak, in the geopolitical game, in view of the fact that there needs to be a stronger argument for continuing the …

  • US Ambassador to Germany: Nord Stream-2 is not in Europe's interests

    US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell criticized the Nord Stream 2 project during an interview with Funke Mediengruppe.

    He stated that many in Germany are concerned about the implementation of the pipeline project. "It's about Russian influence," said the Ambassador.

    Grenell added that the US is working closely with Europeans who share the US’ concerns. According to the diplomat, the current pipeline construction strategy is "very problematic."

    Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner …

  • Lavrov: US withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal threatens to destabilize Middle East

    TASS news agency reports that Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, said the US withdrawal from the Tehran nuclear deal threatens to destabilize the Middle East.

    "As for unilateral US sanctions, there's nothing we can do about that. But this is another thing; it cannot concern lifting sanctions introduced by the UN Security Council. This [decision] is not subject to revision," said Lavrov.

    According to the Minister, the decision by US President Donald Trump to withdraw from the …