The administration of US President Joe Biden is assessing the impact of the new sanctions on Russia and is ready to strengthen these sanctions on Russian debt securities so that they spread to the secondary market if Moscow cannot explain the hacker attacks and attempts to interfere in the US political process. Bloomberg writes about this on April 17, citing sources.
“The options available to President Joe Biden include the expansion of measures announced on Thursday to ban American financial institutions from the secondary market for ruble bonds issued by Russian state banks,” the article says.
The agency notes that extended sanctions may apply to a ban on trading in Russian securities for at least the first 90 days after their issue.
At the same time, according to the source, the decision to tighten restrictions will be made as the previously imposed sanctions affect the position of the ruble and Russian securities on world markets.
US President Joe Biden signed a decree on April 15 introducing new sanctions against Moscow. The restrictions affected 32 legal entities and individuals from Russia, who, according to the administration of the American leader, “made attempts to influence the US presidential elections in 2020, as well as other acts of disinformation and interference.” Also in the United States announced the expulsion of 10 employees of the Russian diplomatic mission in Washington.
Since then, Moscow has introduced countermeasures in response to new US anti-Russian sanctions. The Russian Foreign Ministry, among other measures, announced the expulsion of 10 American diplomats, a complete cessation of the practice of hiring administrative and technical workers from among the citizens of the Russian Federation and third countries by the US diplomatic missions, the limitation of the practice of short-term trips of diplomats through the State Department, and other measures. In addition, the sanctions list included eight current and former American high-ranking officials and figures who are involved in the development and implementation of the anti-Russian course.
At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow has the opportunity to take painful measures for US business, but for now it will hold them back.