Washington says position on anti-Russian sanctions unchanged

WASHINGTON, Feb 15 (PRIME) -- The U.S. strategy on the anti-Russian sanctions has not changed, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a briefing on Tuesday.

“There is no change in our current sanctions strategy with Russia. I’ve got nothing for you on that,” he said.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also said that the current sanctions policy against Russia is still in place. The sanctions are an important tool and the Treasury Department will “continue to look at them for various countries,” he said.

Relations between Russia and the West worsened in 2014 due to a military conflict in Ukraine. The West introduced sanctions against some Russian individuals and firms and against oil, gas, and banking sectors. In response, Russia limited food imports from some countries, including the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Australia, and Norway.

On February 10, E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said during her visit to the U.S. that Brussels and Washington agreed to maintain the anti-Russian sanctions until the Minsk agreements are implemented, but added that she was unsure “if there will be divisions in the United States on this (sanction policy).”

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