Putin: There is no reason for new US sanctions against Russia

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, stated during a televised dialogue on Thursday that "the US is pursuing a policy of deterring Russia," and added, "there is no reason for new US sanctions against Russia, as nothing extraordinary has happened." The Russian President, participating in a live Q&A program, emphasized that "Russia has always lived under the pressure of sanctions, and Washington resorts to sanctions whenever it feels competition from Moscow." Last Wednesday, the US Senate overwhelmingly passed an amendment to the Iran sanctions bill, which will impose new sanctions against Russia. This legislation requires the US President to seek congressional approval to reduce sanctions against Russia. The goal of these sanctions is to punish Russia for alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential elections, the annexation of Crimea, and support for the Syrian government. According to the Associated Press, the recent sanctions include new measures against individuals involved in "human rights violations" in Russia or supplying weapons to Bashar al-Assad's government. NBC News also reported that "increased current sanctions, including against certain energy projects and financing in key sectors" or "authorization to implement sanctions against key economic sectors in Russia, including mining, metals, shipping, and railways" are among the new sanctions. Currently, investigations are ongoing in the US Department of Justice and Congress regarding Russian interference in last year's presidential elections, while Russia denies any interference. In another part of his annual live dialogue with Russian citizens, Putin compared James Comey, the ousted FBI Director, to Edward Snowden and announced Russia's readiness to "shelter" him. Donald Trump, the US President, dismissed Comey from his position on May 9 while he was investigating Russian interference in the presidential election that Trump won. Last week, Comey testified before the US Senate Intelligence Committee, accusing Trump of trying to "discredit" him with "blatant lies." In response to Comey's statements, Trump rejected his claims, stating he is "willing to testify under oath about his conversations with Comey." Trump described the investigation into Russia and related matters as "the greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history." In another part of his televised dialogue, Putin emphasized that "Russia does not consider the US its enemy," adding that "the two countries can cooperate on nuclear non-proliferation." He also identified environmental issues as another common ground for discussion between Russia and the US. According to the Russian President, the approach of US submarines to Russia's borders in the Arctic region will lead Russia to "create a missile launch control system in these areas." Putin referred to Western sanctions against Russia imposed after the Ukraine crisis and the annexation of Crimea in 2014, stating, "Russia has suffered losses of between 50 to 52 billion dollars due to sanctions, but the losses for those imposing sanctions on Russia have been 100 billion dollars." Putin clarified, "If Russia's economic and trade partners lift the sanctions, Russia will reciprocally lift its sanctions." Another segment of the Q&A session focused on Syria and Russia's role in the crisis there. Putin emphasized that "Russia intends to resolve the Syrian crisis." According to the Russian President, "without constructive cooperation between Russia and the US, resolving the Syrian crisis and normalizing the situation in the Middle East is impossible." He also announced Russia's plans to "strengthen the military capabilities of the Syrian army" and stated, "the Syrian operation was useful for evaluating Russia's latest weapon systems." According to Putin, "the experience of using armed forces is very valuable." Putin's annual meeting with the Russian people has been held since 2001, and this year's televised dialogue was the 15th of its kind, with the number of questions submitted reaching 1.8 million.