Senators say US can impose new sanctions against Russia

MUNICH/WARSAW, Feb 20 (PRIME) -- New U.S. sanctions against Russia can be introduced after an investigation into a possible intervention of Russian hackers in U.S. presidential elections finishes, Senator Chris Murphy said at an international security conference on February 19.

Another U.S. Senator who participated in the conference, Lindsey Graham, said he will be promoting a bill imposing more sanctions against Russia “for interference in our election,” and after winning votes in both parties he will submit the bill to President Donald Trump. "I hope he can embrace the idea...that he should be working with us to punish Russia," he said.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said that lifting of anti-Russian sanctions is not being discussed. “The Russian army is attacking Ukrainian troops in Donbass, we cannot discuss lifting of sanctions,” he said in an interview broadcast by a Polish TV channel.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that it is illogical to tie lifting of sanctions to fulfillment of the Minsk agreements by only Russia. He reiterated that the reluctance of Ukraine to follow the terms is the real reason why the agreements have not been fulfilled.

“I have already said how, in fact, illogical and artificial a formula “the Minsk agreements must be fulfilled by Russia, and the E.U. will lift sanctions” sounds. We want the Minsk agreements to be fulfilled as well and we will not remove our sanctions against the E.U. until the Minsk agreements are fulfilled, this must be understood as well.”

End