by Arshad Mohammad
WASHINGTON, Jan 23 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday rejected calls for immediate economic sanctions on Russia, saying it would reduce the West’s ability to dissuade Moscow from attacking Ukraine. .
Russia, which has deployed tens of thousands of troops to the Ukrainian border and sent troops to Belarus for joint military exercises, denies any bellicose intent. But these maneuvers are causing concern in the West, which has threatened to impose severe economic sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine in particular.
“As far as sanctions are concerned, the purpose of these sanctions is to prevent Russian aggression. And so if they are triggered now, you lose the deterrent effect,” Antony Blinken told CNN.
The US Secretary of State added that if additional Russian troops entered Ukraine aggressively, it would trigger a significant reaction.
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky told the Washington Post last week that he favored immediate sanctions, a view shared by some Republican lawmakers in the US Congress on Sunday.
“We have to act now. When it comes to pushing back against Russia, we have to be strong and not be in a position…of appeasement,” Republican Senator Joni Ernst told ABC. Member of the US Senate Armed Services Committee.
Chris Coons, a Democratic senator whose party has a majority in both houses of Congress, pleaded for his part in favor of the adoption of a bipartisan text to, he said, “show resolve and determination and apply sanctions now”. However, he added that it would be preferable to keep the strongest sanctions in reserve. (Report Arshad Mohammed, with Susan Heavey, French version Claude Chendjou)