U.S. Threatens to Impose Sanctions on Putin’s Close Circle

U.S. threatens to impose sanctions on Putin’s close circle, said U.S. Department of the Treasury Assistant Secretary, if “Russia continues its malicious activity”. If “Russia continues its malicious activity” U.S. will impose sanctions on Vladimir Putin’s close circle, said U.S. Department of the Treasury Assistant Secretary Marshall Billingslea, speaking at U.S. House of representatives hearings. He called Russia’s actions “unacceptable” and said that responsibility for these actions should be on Putin’s close circle, who should expect “charges and consequences" said Billingslea. The fact that the administration is serious is also indicated by the sanctions against oligarchs Oleg Deripaska and Viktor Vekselberg, close to Putin, who have already lost a significant part of their assets, stressed Marshall Billingslea. Meanwhile, according to Bloomberg, the sanctions of the Donald Trump administration in relation to Russia, as well as the “unpredictability of the White House and Congress”, the U.S. is pushing Russian businessmen to repatriate a part of the capital. Businessmen are starting to transfer money to Russian state-owned banks and change the balance of their offshore funds. Source: DW