MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the information about the suggested ban for US banks to process transactions of large Russian banks.
"No, so far, it is extremely difficult to comment on a decision that has not been taken, and a document that has not been published. We are aware of the fact that Washington is constantly working at drafting new and new sanctions against Russia," he said when commenting on reports about the ban on such transactions that are allegedly being readied.
"The substance of those sanctions is permanently being changed each day," Peskov noted.
Reuters reported earlier citing sources that the US administration had prepared an initial package of sanctions against Moscow, which includes barring US financial institutions from processing transactions of major Russian banks. The restrictions that will only be implemented if Russia invades Ukraine, will be particularly aimed at cutting correspondent banking relationships between Russian banks and US banks that enable international payments, the agency said. The final list of banks subject to sanctions is yet to be formed, but sources believe VTB, Sberbank, VEB.RF and Gazprombank are likely to be included in it.