U.S. Ambassador to NATO says terrorism designation for Russia is not useful
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Smith stated this position at a briefing held prior to a NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania, and noted that the United States advocates further restrictions on Russia through sanctions and export restrictions.
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“I think you heard the comments from President Biden and others in the administration,” she said.
“The feeling in Washington is that it’s really not necessary, and in fact it could be counterproductive in that it could hurt our ability to, for example, bring humanitarian aid to Ukraine or take a certain amount of grain out of Ukraine.”
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Smith added that the United States is focused on working with many partners and allies around the world on sanctions and identifying ways to implement additional measures. The administration is working to increase pressure on Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and his government “as well as pressure the economy and effectively prevent the Russian military from advancing and creating new capabilities in this war,” Smith proclaimed.
A number of countries, as well as the EU Parliament, have recognized Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
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