by Arshad Mohammad
WASHINGTON/LONDON, Jan 23 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday rejected calls for immediate economic sanctions against Russia, saying it would reduce the West’s ability to dissuade Moscow from attacking Russia. ‘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.
British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab for his part warned on Sunday that if the Kremlin installed a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine, Moscow would face severe economic sanctions.
“There will be very serious consequences if Russia makes this decision to try to invade but also to install a puppet regime,” he told Sky News.
The Russian Foreign Minister reacted by declaring that the comments were “disinformation” and accused Britain and NATO of “aggravating tensions” over Ukraine.
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.
The meeting between the heads of Russian and American diplomacy on Friday in Geneva did not lead to any tangible results, but the two countries agreed to continue the dialogue to try to find a solution to the Ukrainian crisis. (Report Arshad Mohammed, with Susan Heavey and Paul Sandle London, French version Claude Chendjou)