MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. The draft of new anti-Russian sanctions proposed in the US Congress can be likened to an initiative to break off relations, since an equal response will inevitably follow from Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.
"The simultaneous timing of these statements and negotiations [on security - TASS] is an attempt to put pressure on Moscow. It is a priori meaningless, because we are talking about sanctions, which as such and considering the inevitable equal response, can be equated to an initiative to break off relations. It is impossible to interpret the wording in any other way," he said.
The Kremlin official stressed that Moscow strongly denounces the draft of new US anti-Russian sanctions.
"Especially in the context of the ongoing series of negotiations, albeit unsuccessful ones, but still negotiations," he said.
"They do not contribute to the further search for mutually beneficial solutions, do not contribute to the formation of a constructive atmosphere during the continuation of these three-stage talks. Today there will be a third stage, which is the final one of this phase. Therefore, the answer is definite: [our attitude is] negative," Peskov stressed.
The consultations between Moscow and Western states on Russia’s proposals for European security are held in three stages.
The first stage was held in Geneva on January 10 as negotiations between representatives of Russia and the United States.
The meeting of the Russia-NATO Council held on January 12 became the second stage of consultations.
The third stage will take place on January 13 in Vienna as part of the OSCE.
Bill on new sanctions
On January 12, a group of Democratic senators headed by Robert Menendez submitted a bill on restrictions against Russia in the event of an escalation of tension around Ukraine to the Senate of the US Congress. In particular, it includes the imposition of sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Prime Minister, the heads of the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Defense, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and other representatives of the military leadership. The new restrictive measures may also affect the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
The initiative submitted to the Senate of the US Congress was called the Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act of 2022. Later, the document will be considered by members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chaired by Menendez. To come into effect, the bill should be approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the US President. Emily Horn, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council, said earlier that the US administration supports the senators' initiative.