Obama extends sanctions against Russia
US President Barack Obama announced on Tuesday that sanctions against Russia would be extended for another year.
The text of Obama’s announcement was published on the White House’s website.
The US President extended four of his Executive Orders initially signed in 2014 that, in particular, ban economic activity between US citizens and companies with a number of Ukrainian and Russian businesses and individuals.
“I found that the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation with respect to Ukraine undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets,” Obama stated.
In particular, Obama extended Order 13660, which targeted those involved in the suppression of Euromaidan activists; Order 13661, which imposed sanctions on a number of Russian politicians; Order 13662, which tightened sanctions against the Crimea; and Order 13685, which banned American companies from conducting business with enterprises that operate on the territory of Crimea.
“The actions and policies addressed in these Executive Orders continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared on March 6, 2014, and the measures adopted on that date, on March 16, 2014, on March 20, 2014, and December 19, 2014, to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond March 6, 2016. Therefore… I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660,” Obama’s statement read.