Russia: We Will Respond to New Sanctions

Sergei Ryabkov, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, stated on Saturday, December 13, that Moscow will react if new sanctions are imposed by the United States over the Ukraine crisis. According to Reuters, the U.S. Congress has prepared a bill for new sanctions against Russian arms companies and investors in high-tech oil projects, but President Barack Obama has not yet signed them. French news agency reported that Senator Bob Corker, the bill's sponsor, criticized the delay of the U.S. government, describing it as a 'slow response of the government to Russia's aggression in Ukraine.' Concurrently, American lawmakers approved a law for military aid to Ukraine, including the provision of weapons. This law does not obligate President Obama to send arms but allows him to provide military assistance such as anti-tank weapons, ammunition, and reconnaissance drones to Ukraine. Last month, the U.S. Department of Defense delivered the first of 20 ordered mortar radar systems to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Sergei Ryabkov told Interfax that Russia will not leave these sanctions unanswered but did not specify the nature of Russia's actions. Previously, Moscow had limited food imports from Western countries in response to U.S. and EU sanctions against individuals and entities. According to Reuters, relations between Russia and the U.S. are at their lowest point since the Cold War, as Moscow annexed Crimea about nine months ago and has since supported pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. The West claims to have strong evidence that Russia arms the separatists in eastern Ukraine, but Moscow denies these accusations. Meanwhile, according to the Voice of Russia radio website, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that these economic sanctions and military pressures are futile and that the country will not submit to what it calls 'U.S. dominance.' The U.S. imposed sanctions on some Russian officials and companies in September of this year. Experts say these sanctions have harmed the Russian economy and caused a decrease in the value of the ruble against the dollar, with the ruble losing up to 40% of its value in recent months.