The United States government has firmly ruled out easing the sanctions imposed on Russia amid its ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that there would be no negotiations or decisions regarding lifting restrictions until a ceasefire is reached.
“There would be no negotiations, no decisions, no arrangements until after the carnage has stopped,” Bruce emphasized.
Her remarks followed a question about whether the White House had asked the State Department, led by Marco Rubio, to prepare a list of penalties that might be relaxed.
Bruce described the situation as “dynamic,” stressing the importance of identifying who is genuinely committed to peace.
She referred to the recent deadly incident in Sumy, where Russian ballistic missiles struck the northeastern Ukrainian city on Palm Sunday, killing over 30 people and injuring more than 110.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. and its allies have steadily increased sanctions.
These actions target Russian officials, President Vladimir Putin, military-industrial operations, financial institutions, and even international collaborators.
“President Putin and Minister Lavrov are directly responsible for Russia’s unprovoked and unlawful further invasion of Ukraine, a democratic sovereign state,” the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) stated.
The U.S. Treasury noted it is rare to sanction a head of state, adding that Putin now joins a small list that includes Kim Jong Un, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, and Bashar al-Assad.
The sanctions also extend to Russian lawmakers, officials’ families, and foreign suppliers allegedly enabling Russia’s efforts to annex Ukrainian territory.
In October 2024, the most recent wave of sanctions targeted individuals and companies tied to Russia’s Garpiya long-range attack UAV program.
According to U.S. authorities, the drones were co-developed with Chinese experts and produced in China-based factories. The UAVs have reportedly caused mass casualties and destroyed critical infrastructure in Ukraine.