Russian Ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, charged that the US was signaling to Ukraine to not negotiate peace with Russia through its new round of sanctions banning the import of aluminum, copper and nickel of Russian origin. The UK has introduced the same sanctions.
“Should the new restrictions be considered as a response to Russia’s readiness to reach out with concrete proposals to resume negotiations to resolve the conflict in Ukraine? In this case, the purpose of the sanctions is clear: a signal to Kiev with indications not to agree to anything, even if it leads to downfall at the front,” the ambassador said in a commentary published on the embassy’s Telegram channel.
Commenting on the sanctions to reporters, Antonov said they “are another unjustified and politicized step. Moreover, this decision is not even a ‘shot in the foot', but sort of reckless gunfire.”
