Gas compressor station in GermanyMOSCOW, Jan 26Germany insists on an exception for the energy sector in the event that Russian banks are blocked from accessing dollar settlements as part of sanctions against Russia as the situation in Ukraine escalates, Bloomberg reports, citing documents. Western countries threaten Russia with «unprecedented» sanctions in the event that the aggressive intentions for a neighboring country. Moscow denies such plans. On Tuesday, the German tabloid Bild reported that the United States was considering blocking supplies of Russian raw materials. The plan is said to have been developed by CIA chief William Burns and presented in Berlin.Johnson called the sanctions prepared by the West against Russia the heaviest. According to one of the documents, Germany is concerned that, without an exemption for the energy sector, supplies to Europe could be at risk. According to the source, the exception will not affect restrictions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Agency sources said that other large Western European countries hold similar views. One official said that based on discussions, an energy exemption would likely be part of the final package of sanctions agreed to with the US in the event of an escalation in Ukraine. a package of sanctions that may include an asset freeze and a ban on operations for a select group of Russian banks, restrictions on imports from Russia of certain metals and chemicals, and restrictions on the export of certain luxury and high-tech goods.
The White House says the fall of the ruble is provoked by the threat of sanctions The agency also lists tougher restrictions on goods that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, as well as additional restrictions on public debt and capital market restrictions on state-owned enterprises, as possible sanctions .According to the agency, the package of sanctions to which Germany agrees includes travel bans and asset freezes for oligarchs, restrictions on investments in Russia, a trade ban on some state-owned enterprises that will effectively force them out of the stock markets. In recent months in Western media Increasingly, reports began to appear that Moscow was preparing an «invasion» of Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly rejected the accusations of the West and Ukraine of «aggressive actions», saying that it does not threaten anyone and does not intend to attack anyone. The Kremlin is confident that such statements are being used as a pretext to place as much NATO military equipment as possible near Russian borders. Alliance members have already confirmed their intention to strengthen their presence in eastern Europe, although Moscow insists on abandoning this in the draft document on security guarantees. and the United States discussed opposition to Nord Stream 2 because of Kiev
