Threats of the sanctions rocked Russian stock and government bond markets at the end of the week, and the country's debt insurance costs jumped alongside FX volatility.
Republican senators on January 16 successfully defended the Trump administration's plan to lift sanctions on companies controlled by a Vladimir Putin ally
Moscow has responded to the prospect of new sanctions with anger.
Us sanctions are because the US government believe that the Russian government and intelligence were behind the expose of email scandal of Hilary Clinton and thus the theft of US data and documents.
A former minister told Russians to prepare for the worst outcome, the Kremlin accused the US of “racketeering.” We see clear symptoms of emotional Russophobia,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists. “But behind the emotions … is an entirely pragmatic, assertive trade calculation, and … nothing less than an attempt to engage in dishonest competition.”
The sanction also includes support for NATO, including requiring a two-thirds majority in the Senate for the US to leave the alliance. It includes plans to make it easier to transfer military hardware to NATO countries to reduce their dependences on Russian arms.
The possibility of new sanctions suggests that the US is ready to increase its economic war against Russia. As the global economy rapidly slows in 2019, relations with the US and the rest of the world are at tense levels, the possibility of a geopolitical flare-up is right around the corner.
Five months after a deadly nerve agent threatened the life of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Britain, Donald Trump’s administration announced Wednesday that it will be imposing new sanctions on Russia for its alleged involvement in the attack.