US sanctions Moscow for Skripal attack
The US last night imposed sanctions on Russia in retaliation for the poisoning of the former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. The sanctions include an export ban on sensitive national security goods to Russia, with later penalties likely to include the downgrading of diplomatic relations.
Harriet Alexander, Rozina Sabur
Ben Riley-smith
THE US last night threatened to cut off nearly all exports to and imports from Russia, and ban state airline Aeroflot, after determining it was behind the nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury.
The Trump administration announced tough new sanctions, warning it will downgrade diplomatic relations unless Moscow agrees to its stringent demands. It finally acted after months of discussion about how to respond to the March attack.
Although the US joined European countries in publicly blaming Moscow within days of the attack, and expelled 60 diplomats in response, the Trump administration never issued a formal triggering of sanctions under its decades-old US law on chemical weapons.
Downing Street last night welcomed the news, stating: “The strong international response to the use of a chemical weapon on the streets of Salisbury sends an unequivocal message to Russia that its provocative, reckless behaviour will not go unchallenged.”
The declaration brings into effect sanctions limiting exports to Russia and the financing of deals.
The biggest impact is expected to come from a ban on granting licences to export sensitive national security goods to Russia, such as electronic devices and components, along with test equipment for avionics.
The new prohibitions, which come into effect on Aug 22, could cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in future exports to Russia.
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, will have 90 days to respond, after which a second, more painful round of sanctions will kick in unless it provides “reliable assurances” that it will not use chemical weapons in the future, and agrees to “on-site inspections” by the United Nations – something considered unlikely.
A senior state department official said the second round was intentionally “more draconian than the first round” and that it was “designed to be a sliding scale”.
Russia has accused Britain of making baseless accusations over the poisonings and suggested they were driven by domestic issues in the UK. Yesterday’s
‘[It] sends an unequivocal message to Russia that its provocative ... behaviour will not go unchallenged’
announcement comes months after Congress made a formal request for Donald Trump to determine that Russia had violated international law. Officials explained that the delay came about because the administration always took time to examine evidence.
“We are tough on Russia, and at the same time we are committed to maintaining relations because there are important things at stake here,” a senior state department official said.
The action came as an eagerly watched contest for a previously safe Republican seat in Congress went to the wire, leading to speculation voters were turning against Mr Trump and could punish the Republican Party at midterm elections. Troy Balderson, the Republican candidate in the traditionally conservative 12th district of Ohio, was less than a point ahead of Democrat rival Danny O’connor last night.