WASHINGTON, August 21. /TASS/. The American government intends to gradually tighten its unilateral sanctions against Russia until it changes its foreign policy, said Wess Mitchell, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, on Tuesday.
"Even as we have imposed unprecedented penalties for Russian aggression, we have been clear that the door to dialogue is open, should [Russian President Vladimir] Putin choose to take credible steps toward a constructive path. In Syria, we created de-escalation channels to avoid collisions between our forces. In Ukraine, we have maintained an effort under Ambassador Kurt Volker to provide the means by which Russia can live up to its commitments under the Minsk Agreements," the diplomat said in his speech at a session of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
"But in all of these areas, it is up to Russia, not America, to take the next step. Our policy remains unchanged: steady cost-imposition until Russia changes course," Mitchell added.
"Our actions are having an impact. Research by the State Department’s Office of the Chief Economist shows that on average sanctioned Russian firms see their operating revenue fall by a quarter; their total asset valuation fall by half; and are forced to fire a third of their employees. We believe our sanctions, cumulatively, have cost the Russian government tens of billions of dollars on top of the broader impact on state-owned sectors and the chilling effect of US sanctions on the Russian economy," said the US assistant secretary of state.