The State Department is afraid of the inclusion of Russia in the list of terrorism sponsoring countries, since this can jeopardize an agreement on unlocking Ukrainian Black Sea ports, reports Politico with reference to its sources in the American foreign policy.
According to the publication, in recent days several employees of the State Department reported their fears to American congressmen who have to make a decision on this issue.
Ukraine and some Western countries urge Washington to officially attribute Russia to countries that support terrorism. Now the United States is considered to be such Cuba, Iran, Syria and North Korea.
According to representatives of the State Department, which refers to Politico, if Russia is included in the list of sponsors of terrorism, there are no guarantees that Moscow will remain faithful to the obligations taken. According to the agreements signed by Moscow and Kyiv with Turkey and the UN, the Russian military allow dry loads with Ukrainian food to leave the Black Sea ports and do not use the routes from the mines to attack the courts, along which the Ukrainian army is conducting.
As the publication says, Americans are virtually forbidden to work in countries included in the “black list” of terrorism sponsors. Therefore, various companies that are involved in the implementation of a grain transaction and in other economic ties important to the United States, including relating nuclear materials, may fall under the implementation of sanctions. Some Washington politicians object to this that strokes on a grain transaction can be avoided even if Russia is on the list of sponsors of terrorism, the publication says.
In the State Department, it was noted that now tough economic sanctions are introduced against Russia, which practically coincide with measures that involve the inclusion in the list of countries supporting terrorism.