US May Impose Anti-Russia Sanctions More Often Prior to Russian Elections

Russian Trade Representative in the United States Aleksander Stadnik says that the new anti-Russia sanctions is another unfriendly step directed at undermining the Russian economy.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States will likely impose sanctions against Moscow more often before the 2018 Russian presidential election in March, Russian Trade Representative in the United States Aleksander Stadnik told Sputnik.

"I think, the United States will be placing additional sanctions on Moscow more and more often before Russian presidential election," Stadnik said on Tuesday.

The representative said that the most recent US sanctions against Moscow are directed at getting rid of Russia as a competitor in the energy sector, but the country's economy is ready for them.

"The latest anti-Russia sanctions is another unfriendly step directed at undermining the Russian economy and eliminating Russia as a competitor in this sphere," Stadnik stated on Tuesday. "Russian economy has proved its stability and it is ready for them."

Earlier in the day, the Treasury Department announced in a directive the United States has banned providing goods, services or technology for projects with Russia related to deepwater, arctic offshore or shale exploration or production.

Stadnik noted the United States took actions against Russia many times in the past, but those punitive measures did not destroy the Russian economy.

The new ban relates to the projects that have the potential to produce oil in Russia, and involve any person "determined to be subject to this Directive or any earlier version thereof, their property, or their interests in property," according to the document.