Editorial Staff
Russia’s involvement with Ukraine didn’t go down well with the US and as a result some new sanctions against Russia were announced by the US President Barack Obama.
The new sanctions have adversely affected Russian banks and energy and defense organizations. According to Obama, the sanctions were put in place because Russia allowed weapons to cross into Ukraine. Obama said that he hadmade it clear to the Russian president Putin that the flow of weapons and fighters from Russia to Ukraine must be stopped.
The sanctions are America and other Western countries’ way of punishing Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and providing support to rebels who have occupied buildings in eastern Ukraine.
The new sanctions on Russia have primarily hit 8 Russian arms firms and two energy firms; Novatek and Rosneft and two financial institutions; Gazprombank and VEB. Putin adviser Igor Shchegolev, Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Sergei Neverov, Ukrainian separatist leader Aleksandr Borodai and Sergey Beseda, an official with Russia’s Federal Security Service were also mentioned in the sanctions. They will face travel bans and freezing of assets.
Another international concern was Iran, Iran’s efforts to scale down its nuclear program before July 20 has been significant, however, gaps still remain, and Obama said he will speak to the Congress soon about whether the deadline should be extended or not. Obama also mentioned that he backs Israel’s efforts to defend itself against rocket attacks by militant group Hamas. But at the same time he said that US fully supports the cease fire agreement which is being brokered in Egypt.
The two final candidates of Afghanistan’s Presidential election have agreed to an international audit of over 8 million votes to decide a winner. Barack Obama hailed them for their commitment and called it a major step towards a democratic transfer of power in the nation.
Zainab Asif
