Potential move to brand Russia a sponsor of terrorism would have severe consequences, the Kremlin has cautioned
FILE PHOTO. Antony Blinken and Sergey Lavrov in Geneva. ©Russian Foreign Ministry Handout via Getty Images
If the hawks in the US Congress get their way and have Washington designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, it would likely result in a full breakdown of diplomatic relations between the two nations, The Russian Foreign Ministry warned on Tuesday.
“If people in Washington decide to fully stop any interaction with Moscow, we can live with that. There should be no doubt about that,” ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova told journalists during a media briefing.
The idea to add Russia to the blacklist, which already includes Iran, North Korea, Syria and Cuba, is championed by some lawmakers, like Senator Lindsey Graham. A non-binding resolution calling on the US Department of State to take such a move was passed by the Senate last week.
A similar move by the House is strongly advocated by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who drew media attention this week due to her potential visit to Taiwan. China called the trip a serious provocation.
“I hope that the flying speaker will soon return to her home base and discuss [branding Russia a sponsor of terrorism] with people who have at least some interest in how the diplomacy trade works,” Zakharova remarked.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reportedly resisted calls from Capitol Hill and from Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for the terrorism designation to be slapped on Russia. The White House argued that such a move would have no practical effect in terms of anti-Russian sanctions that the US is willing to impose and may backfire in various ways.
Zakharova said if the US were to label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, it would constitute a “point of no return” for the two nations. The calls to do so are a sign of American weakness, she stated, since Washington is no longer in a position to simply bend to its will any nation whose policy it does not like for some reason.