New US Sanctions to Be Ended If Russia Does Not Meddle in US Elections - Bill

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Newly proposed sanctions against Moscow would be lifted if Russia does not meddle in any US elections for at least two federal election cycles, a draft bill introduced on 3 April said.

"The President may terminate sanctions imposed under subsection (a) on or after the date on which the Director of National Intelligence, in  consultation with the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Director of the National Security Agency, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Attorney General, submits to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership a certification that —  the Government of the Russian Federation has not engaged in interference in United States elections for at least 2 Federal election cycles", the document said.

Major Russian state-owned banks may be targeted by new US sanctions, legislation proposed by US Senators Chris Van Hollen and Marco Rubio revealed.

The legislation said it seeks "blocking assets of state-owned Russian financial institutions", and includes Sberbank, VTB Bank, Gazprombank, Vnesheconombank and Rosselkhozbank.

"It is the sense of Congress that, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President should submit to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership a strategy on how the United States will — (1) work in concert with the European Union and member countries of the European Union to deter interference by the government of the Russian Federation in elections; and (2) coordinate with the European Union and member countries of the European Union to enact legislation similar to this Act", the draft legislation said.

READ MORE: Secrecy Around Skripal Case Shows It Was UK 'Anti-Russian Set-Up' — Embassy

The draft bill introduced to Congress also said that newly proposed US sanctions against Moscow should not apply to the activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

"The requirement to impose sanctions under subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration". the legislation said.

Earlier in the week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that he expected Washington and its NATO partners to announce a series of joint actions against Russia over the Skripal case, the Kerch Strait incident, Crimea and Ukraine in early April when the United States will host a NATO ministerial meeting. Moscow has repeatedly denied all the accusations about its involvement in the A234 nerve agent incident, or "meddling" in other countries' affairs.