Min: New US sanctions to hit foreign investors in Russia debt

MOSCOW, Jan 16 (PRIME) – Foreign investors will be the first to suffer from possible new U.S. sanctions against Russia’s sovereign debt, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Tuesday.

“If such sanctions are introduced, foreign investors, who like to invest in Russian bonds to have a stable, reliable, guaranteed high income will be the first to suffer,” he said in an interview with television channel Rossiya 24.

“If such restrictions are imposed, we will offer the bonds to domestic investors using our Russian infrastructure, and take care not to raise budget misbalance and borrow as little as possible.”

In August, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a bill introducing additional sanctions against Russia, which envisaged that the Congress was to meet within 180 days to discuss restrictions against the country’s sovereign debt.

Siluanov also said that foreigners’ interest to investment in Russian bonds is responsible for a high rate of the ruble.

“Investor interest, including interest from foreign investors, to Russian securities was significant at the latest auctions … That is why we will make every effort to keep the ruble stable… and to replenish our reserves.”

Siluanov also said that high oil prices will allow the ministry to add around 3% of GDP to the country’s reserves in 2018.

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