| answer text |
<p>Sanctions are having an impact on Russia, exacerbating negative trends in its economy
following the oil price collapse of 2014 and rooted in deep seated structural weakness.
Financial sector sanctions continue to make it expensive and hard for designated Russian
entities to access western finance and have a general chilling effect on foreign investment
in Russia. Sanctions were not designed to impose a particular, specific, degree of
pain on Russia’s economy or on the Russian people. They were designed to deliver a
cost for Russia’s adventurism in Ukraine. Maintaining focus on existing Russia/Ukraine
sanctions is more important than ever to continue to pressure Russia to change its
Ukraine policy.</p><p>Russia has also been affected by the EU Chemical Weapons sanctions
regime. Although the regime does not target one country, the designation of the two
GRU officials, who are responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Salisbury, as
well as the Head and Deputy Head of the GRU, sends a powerful and collective message
that the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable.</p>
|
|
