MOSCOW, March 1. /TASS/. The issue of using the International Space Station (ISS) after 2024 under sanctions causes skepticism, Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos told TASS on Tuesday.

"Roscosmos currently has a government permission for operating the ISS only until 2024. The issue of extending the agreement in the current conditions causes our skepticism," the Roscosmos press office said.

The Russian space agency said it hoped that the US Department of State would soon stop its pressure on NASA and allow it to begin a dialogue with Russia. "If we do not come to an agreement, this will have its effect on the international piloted space program," the press office said.

US President Joe Biden earlier said that the sanctions by the United States and its allies would hit the Russian tech sector and also its space program. He further said that the US would cut off more than a half of hi-tech imports into Russia that would deal a blow on Russia’s ability to keep modernizing its Armed Forces. Biden stressed that this would also damage Russia’s space program.

For her part, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Mission Directorate Cathy Lueders said during a virtual press conference broadcast on the YouTube Channel of NASA’s contractor, Axiom Space, that cooperation between Roscosmos and NASA proceeded as before.