The US Department of State urged not to consider new sanctions against Russia as tightening of restrictive measures. Deputy Department Spokesperson Mark Toner stated this, Ukrinform reports.
"We are constantly working to close the loopholes in the sanctions and maintain the level of penalties on the same scale. These measures are not to be considered an escalation of sanctions. They are only measures we implement to ensure that the existing sanctions still have their power", said Toner.
However, a spokesman for the US State Department has denied the link between the expansion of sanctions and the results of the meeting of Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Beijing.
Recall that European Union ambassadors have prolonged asset freezes and visa bans on 146 individuals and 37 entities that threatened Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Source: Ukrinform