MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2023) The White House is preparing economic sanctions against Kyrgyzstan to force the country to stop alleged exports of banned goods to Russia, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing US officials familiar with the matter.
Western officials have said on numerous occasions that the significant growth in Russia's imports from former Soviet republics is "suspicious" and that Moscow is likely using these routes to acquire essential military technologies.
After numerous fruitless visits to Bishkek by US and European diplomats, the administration of US President Joe Biden is considering new economic measures intended to make Kyrgyzstan stop the allegedly illegal trade with Moscow, according to the report. The sources indicated the sanctions could be announced as early as this week.
The newspaper named Chinese drones and German electronics among the sanctioned goods Russia is allegedly trying to get through Central Asia. A senior US official said that the Russian companies buying the products are closely tied to the country's defense industry.
In 2022, Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its military operation in Ukraine. In February 2023, the European Union blocked the transit of European goods and dual-use technologies through Russia in the 10th sanctions package to prevent sanctions evasion. In late June, the Council of the EU agreed on the 11th package of sanctions against Moscow, aimed at tightening the existing restrictions and preventing their circumvention.
Last week, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that Washington considers the fight against Russia's attempts to circumvent sanctions to be one of its main tasks in 2023.
