WASHINGTON, February 22. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden signed a decree on sanctions on Monday in connection with Russia’s recognition of the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DNR and LNR). The document, among other things, prohibits Americans from financing and investing in the DPR and LPR, as well as from trading with them.
“The following is prohibited: <...> new investments from [физических и юридических] US persons <...> in the so-called <...> DPR and LPR or other similar regions of Ukraine as may be determined by the Minister of Finance [США] in agreement with the Secretary of State,” the text of the decree, which was distributed by the press service of the White House, says.
In addition, a ban is introduced on “importation into the United States, directly or indirectly, of any goods, services or technologies from the covered [действием указа] regions (DNR and LNR – note TASS)”, as well as “export, re-export, sale or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by any person from the United States, wherever located, of any goods, services or technologies in the DNR and LNR.
The decree also gives the US administration the authority to impose sanctions on individuals operating in the DPR and LPR, and representatives of the leadership of organizations working there. Inclusion on the sanctions list means freezing assets in the United States and prohibiting American citizens or companies from doing business with its defendants.
As stated in the text of the decree, the American leader said that he “came to the conclusion that the recognition by the Russian Federation of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic, which it claims, contradicts Russia’s obligations under the Minsk agreements and further jeopardizes peace, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
At the same time, in the text of the decree itself, as well as in a letter sent to the leaders of the US Congress in connection with the signing of the sanctions document, the head of the White House stressed that Moscow’s current decision “poses an extraordinary and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”
General licenses
The US Treasury issued six general licenses, which, among other things, allow the provision of humanitarian assistance to the DNR and LNR. Documents providing for exceptions to sanctions imposed by the decree of US President Joe Biden, published on website departments.
Thus, one of the licenses sets the deadline for the completion of all transactions for import, export, re-export, sale of goods, services and technologies related to the LPR and DPR until March 23, 2022. In addition, another document allows the export and re-export of agricultural products, medicines, medical equipment, spare parts, components and software for it, as well as transactions related to goods and services needed to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
The third license authorizes all financial transactions related to telecommunications and the postal service, in particular equipment and technologies for this. In addition, the Ministry of Finance noted that the activities of the UN, its agencies, international development banks, the International Committees of the Red Cross and Crescent, and the OSCE are allowed on the territory of the DPR and LPR.
The fifth license allows non-commercial, personal money transfers and account transactions. However, these transfers do not include funds to support business, including family business. The latest license allows services “related to personal communications over the Internet, such as instant messaging, chat and e-mail, social networking, photo and movie sharing, web browsing and blogging.” At the same time, it is prohibited to provide software and a number of other services to persons involved in the black list, which will include persons on the basis of Biden’s decree.
The situation on the line of contact in eastern Ukraine escalated on February 17. The DPR and LPR reported the most active shelling from Ukraine in recent months.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Russian Security Council on Monday, whose members spoke in favor of recognizing the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Later, the Russian leader announced the recognition of the sovereignty of the DNR and LNR. Treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance were signed with their leaders.