US President Barack Obama "intends to sign" another bill that would impose new sanctions on Russia. This was announced by White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
The US is thus preparing to launch sanctions against Russian companies active in the defense sector and linked to the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine. The green light will probably come this weekend.
Jason Furman, president of the Council of Economic Advisers, Obama's set of economic advisers, said that Russia's economic problems are attributable to the country itself, also downplaying the effects of Russian counter-sanctions on the American economy.
In the provision that Congress approved on Saturday, entitled "Ukraine Freedom Support Act", there are not only sanctions against Russia but also the authorization to send weapons worth up to 350 million dollars to Kiev. The bill passed on Saturday, initially against the White House.
The Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, expressed his gratitude via Twitter. The Kiev Parliament had been lobbying for months to receive US weapons and spoke of a "historic decision".
The new sanctions could further undermine the already devastated Russian economy vertical fall of the ruble.
