US says to block Russia’s finances fully in case of Ukraine war

WASHINGTON/MOSCOW, Dec 8 (PRIME) -- The U.S. and its allies are considering full isolation of Moscow from the global financial system if Russian troops enter Ukraine, Deputy State Secretary Victoria Nuland said at a hearing in the Senate late on Tuesday.

"This time the intent is to make clear that the initial sanctions in response to any further aggressive moves in Ukraine will be extremely significant and isolating for Russia and for Russian business and for the Russian people," the official said.

Nuland also said that the U.S. was in consultations with the new German government and expects suspension of the recently built Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in case of invasion. Germany expressed readiness to act, she said.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Washington was in talks with Brussels on sanctions against Russia in case of a war against Ukraine.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held negotiations with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden. Putin's Aide Yury Ushakov said that the presidents did not discuss the pandemic or the climate. "I can say before you ask that the pandemic was not mentioned, the climatic issues and the energy sectors were not mentioned either," Ushakov said.

According to the documents published by the House of Representatives, the U.S. defense budget does not include sanctions on Nord Stream 2 and sovereign debt.

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