The day has come. U.S sanctions on Russia are now effective.
Let’s remember how everything has started and why US imposed sanctions on Russia?
We will not get back to the period of the Cold War when relations of USSR and U.S. were on the verge of nuclear war (1962 Cuban Missile Crisis) and we will not contemplate the time when the Soviet Union collapsed. Nowadays, relations between Russia and USA are experiencing new wave of passions. So called “War of sanctions” between U.S. and Russia started in 2014, when Russia annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which de-jure belongs to Ukraine, with the help of conducted Referendum. Later, U.S. accused Russia in interfering into presidential elections held in 2016 when Donald Trump from the U.S. Republican party won the elections and became a new president of the U.S.. A flurry of criticism fell on Russia at that time and, moreover, it is still discussed. But today’s topic is a bit different, because USA and its allies try to suppress the looming hegemony of Russia as it was 72 years ago, when USA elaborated a policy named “Policy of Containment” to curb the spread of communism. However, nowadays Russia is not a communist state, but one thing retains unchanged and constant. Russia and the U.S. have discords in every area of politics, either in Syria or in Afghanistan. USA officials confessed that they view Russia and Iran as their main contenders (rivals), whether Turkey is regarded as an obstinate ally from NATO system.
Skripal’s case is very enigmatic and intricate. USA imposed sanctions on Russia on August 6 and after 21 days on August 27th these sanctions came into effect. Let’s elucidate what these sanctions entail?
The sanctions package includes the forbiddance of foreign assistance to Russia under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, except for “urgent humanitarian assistance.” It also prohibits exports of weapons and dual-use products to Moscow. The sanctions also deny Russia “any credit, credit guarantees, or other financial assistance by any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, including the Export-Import Bank of the United States.” The restrictions will remain in place “for at least one year and until further notice,” according to the document.
That was stated in an official document released by the U.S. State Department. Russia vowed to give a backfire and to impose counter sanctions on USA. We don’t know what are the current intentions of Russia, but we already know what are the real intentions of the U.S. USA are disguising as a partner for Russia, but tries to hit Russia on the sly. USA is not acting alone; it makes decisions and implements them with support of its Western allies, especially UK. USA and Britain made collusion against Russia to weaken it and “expose” as a guilty side. USA imposes sanctions on every ally of Russia, whether Turkey, Iran or China, however they are aware that a new “Warsaw Pact’ may be created and major power in face of USA try to hinder the implementation of this goal.
Recently, the Presidents of Russia and USA in face of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump respectively held a meeting during the Helsinki Summit. U.S. president asserted that improved US-Russia relations would benefit both countries and they are keen to strengthen bilateral relations between countries. But soon afterwards Trump and his counterparts enact the new series of punitive attacks on Russia. These sanctions will harm not only Russia, but also U.S. allies and the whole world. It remains as a secret what respond will be from the side of Russia. USA tries to limit cooperation of Major European countries with Russia, and the first victim of this action is Germany. Germany is the biggest importer of Russian Gas and they had a joint project called “Nord Stream 2” with Russia on importing Russian gas through Baltic Sea. U.S. intimidates Germany with sanctions imposition on Berlin in case of collaboration with Russia over Nord Stream project realization. Western countries regard this project as a political attack of Russia on Ukraine. They deem that Russia is interested in decreasing the role of Ukraine as a transit country, but USA is not worried in domestic situation of Ukraine, moreover in the situation of the whole World, they are interested in implementing their own interests.
To sum up, the most interesting fact is that both Russia and the U.S have no veracious evidences on alleged involvement in Skripal’s poisoning at Amesbury. It should be admitted that USA will not stop and will continue the try to hit Russia and no one knows what this “war of sanctions” will lead to. The only thing which is apparent, those relations between Russia and USA relations will be more heated and dangerous for the world and especially for civil people.
We will attentively watch upcoming TV series of so called “unfinished Cold War” where the US and Russia starred.
Akber Bayramov, Eurasia Diary
