The US ambassador in Moscow, John Tefft, admitted that the anti-Russian sanctions are a “dumb instrument”, but at the same time stated that they were necessary.
The United States imposed sanctions against Russia in connection with the situation in Ukraine in 2014, after which they were repeatedly expanded.
“I think sanctions are such a stupid tool, there are no questions with this, and everyone understands this,” he said in an interview with the radio station Ekho Moskvy.
“But the choice that was then faced by the Barack Obama administration was this:” Do you want to wage war with Russia? “The ambassador explained.
Thus, the sanctions, he said, were necessary to “express disagreement with the violation of international law.”
President of the United States Donald Trump previously signed a law that involves the expansion of a number of sectoral sanctions against the Russian economy. In particular, it reduces the maximum term for financing Russian banks under US sanctions up to 14 days, oil and gas companies – up to 60 days (previously 30 days and 90 days respectively).