The state Department does not support the new bill on sanctions against Russia, introduced in late April in the Congress, said the coordinator for sanctions Daniel Fried during his speech in Washington.
Members of the US House of Representatives Eliot Engel and Adam Kiesinger in late April had tabled a motion on Stability and Democracy (STAND) for Ukraine Act.
According to the coordinator, the American Foreign Ministry does not like the idea of a formal codification of Congress sanctions bill. “Our sanctions won’t be strengthened with codification. This will reduce our flexibility in the using of sanctions to restore the sovereignty of Ukraine in cooperation with the EU”, said Fried.
“I have no doubt that the sponsors (of the bill) want to help Ukraine, but not sure that it (the bill) would fulfill its purpose”, he added.
Also, the official said that one of the American companies complained about the billions of dollars in losses from the sanctions against Russia. According to Fried, that there are likely to be “much more” losses.
“Sanctions are usually expensive”, he said, adding that Europe is much affected by them.