US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. File photoMOSCOW, April 15Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to US President Joe Biden with a call for the United States to recognize the Russian Federation as a «country sponsor of terrorism», the American leader did not give any obligations, the Washington Post newspaper writes, citing informed sources. A bill recognizing Russia as such was introduced in January by American Republican Jim Banks. «President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addressed President Biden with a direct call for the United States to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, this is one of the most powerful and radical sanctions in the US arsenal,» the newspaper said.
Zelensky said that Ukraine «even earlier» started a «war» with RussiaIt is noted that the call was made in a recent telephone conversation between Zelensky and Biden. The US President did not make any specific commitments during the conversation, said he intended to consider a number of proposals to increase pressure Moscow, the newspaper writes. In January, Republican Jim Banks presented a new draft of sanctions against Russia. According to the Washington Post, it was called the «Act on Holding Putin Accountable» and involves, among other things, the declaration of «Russian-supported» forces in the Donbass as terrorists and the recognition of Russia as a sponsor of terrorism. Dmitry Belik, a member of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, told RIA Novosti that in if this package of US sanctions against the Russian Federation is adopted, Moscow’s response will be symmetrical, Russia reserves the right to sever diplomatic relations with those countries that join them. In Ukraine, the law on the foundations of national resistance is in force, which, according to her, legalizes and arms volunteer armed groups, and gives bandits and terrorists legal and practical support for the commission of terrorist attacks and other crimes in the Donbass with impunity. In this regard, Nikonorova noted, the United States sponsors terrorism and national ultra-radicalism by encouraging the policy of the Ukrainian authorities. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years.» For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out «demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine.» According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, as of March 25, the Armed Forces completed the main tasks of the first stage of the special operation — they significantly reduced the combat potential of Ukraine. The main goal in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass. In response, the United States, EU countries and a number of other states have imposed new sanctions against Russia and major Russian organizations. , said the White House
