Obama urged the West to maintain sanctions against Russia

Barack Obama called on the West to continue the sanctions policy against Russia until Moscow fulfill the Minsk agreements. The US president wrote about this in his column for Financial Times.

“And although our countries (NATO members. - Ed.) Are open to more constructive relations with Russia, we must agree that anti -Russian sanctions should be preserved until Moscow fulfills its obligations under the Minsk agreements,” Obama wrote.

The US President also stated that the alliance must decide to strengthen the support of Ukraine, as well as the countries of Eastern and Central Europe, which are included in it.

“In Warsaw, we must confirm our determination. Our debt in accordance with the fifth article of the North Atlantic Treaty is to protect each NATO ally,” Obama writes. “We must strengthen the protection of our allies in Central and Eastern Europe, strengthen the restraint measures and our resistance to new challenges, including cyber attacks.”

The American president also emphasized the need to "deepen the security cooperation between NATO and the EU and increase the support of Ukraine at a time when it protects its sovereignty and territorial integrity."

“Russian aggression against Ukraine threatens our vision of Europe with holistic, free and peaceful,” he emphasized.

“Arriving in Warsaw for meetings with NATO and the EU leaders, I believe that our countries must mobilize political will and accept specific obligations in order to respond to challenges that require an immediate answer,” the US President noted. “I think that we can achieve this, if we only maintain unity as real allies and partners.”

At the end of April, the US Congress introduced a bill on toughening anti -Russian measures and strengthening Ukraine (Stability and Democracy for Ukraine Act, Stand). The bill "clarifies the position of the United States on the illegal occupation of Crimea by Russia, tightens sanctions against Russia and contains innovations to support support for Ukraine," the report said. The document was supported by another 14 congressmen from both parties.

The State Department and the US Treasury is prescribed to regularly submit reports on the activities of large Russian banks, as well as other financial organizations “directly or indirectly undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”. Thus, this situation applies to all banks working in the Crimea.

In addition, Stand obliges the US government bodies to refrain from any actions that can be interpreted as a de facto or de jure of the transition of Crimea to Russia. In particular, the official release of geographical maps on which Crimea would be depicted as Russian territory is prohibited.

The bill also introduces restrictions on the transfer of NATO countries or military equipment that contain American technologies or components.

In early March, Barack Obama extended sanctions against Russia for another year . A document widespread by the press service of the White House refers to the preservation of a "emergency regime introduced in connection with attempts to undermine democratic processes in Ukraine, to violate its sovereignty and territorial integrity." The extension of the sanctions was explained by the fact that Russia's actions against Ukraine continue to carry the "special and extraordinary danger of national security and US foreign policy."