Blinken: US Seeks "Further Work" with Russia Despite Sanctions

The Secretary of State noted that Washington will have to simultaneously resist Russian aggression and look for opportunities to improve US security US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the United States remains committed to "continuing to work" with Russia on strategic stability, despite confronting Moscow on human rights, cyber espionage and others. Blinken's statement came amid the announcement of US sanctions against senior Russian officials and Russian organizations in connection with Moscow's actions, which the US authorities see as an attempt to assassinate opposition leader Alexei Navalny with the help of a nerve agent. Officials said sanctions, including an asset freeze, are being imposed on seven senior Russian government officials. In addition, 14 organizations associated with the production of biological and chemical agents, including 13 commercial structures and a state research institute, were sanctioned. The US decision was made in coordination with the European Union. US officials, following President Joe Biden, called on Russia to release Navalny from prison. However, in an interview with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who now produces podcasts, Blinken made it clear that, despite the sanctions, the Biden administration does not want to end all cooperation with Moscow. “We also have other important stakes, including in relations with Russia,” he said. - One of them is what we call strategic stability. The point is that, despite our still significant arsenals, especially nuclear weapons, we would not do anything that would increase the likelihood of a conflict and, God forbid, an exchange of nuclear strikes. " Blinken recalled that one of the first decisions of President Biden was to extend the only remaining, but very important agreement between the United States and Russia - START III, which sets serious restrictions on the strategic nuclear arsenals of the two countries. “And this is very good for both countries,” the secretary of state said. “We will look for opportunities for further work,” he continued. - But I think we will have to work in two directions at once: to resolutely resist Russian aggression (Ukraine is still a huge problem, given Russian intervention) and at the same time to look for opportunities ... to increase our security in such things as nuclear weapon". At the same time, Blinken stressed the importance of an active foreign policy and the need to defend the interests and values of the United States around the world. “The bottom line is that if we don't speak out decisively when our interests or values are challenged, it creates a sense of impunity,” he said. - In this case, the bad behavior continues and gets worse. As for Russia, we are analyzing a number of egregious actions that they have taken. " “Are we talking about a cyberattack on the SolarWinds company, about which it was written; or what they did to one of Putin's main political opponents, Alexei Navalny, by using chemical weapons to try to kill him; or reports that Russia offered rewards for [killing] our soldiers in Afghanistan, or interfering in our elections - we are all studying this,” Blinken said. “And I can say with some certainty that we will take appropriate measures, which we deem adequate, to make it clear that such behavior is unacceptable for us, and we will accept them together with our allies and partners,” he concluded.