The Kremlin threatened Tuesday to cut diplomatic ties with Washington if the United States declared Russia a sponsor of terrorism.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the proposed designation as “naive” and a violation of international law.
“The logical consequence of such a move becomes a severance of diplomatic relations,” she said. “Washington eventually risks crossing the point of no return – with all the consequences that entail. This should be well understood in Washington.”
Last week, the Senate passed a non-binding resolution urging Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the United States to adopt the designation.
However, Blinken rejected the plan, saying the current penalties are similar to what would be imposed with the rating.
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The latest developments
Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles has backed off a plan to send 10 tanks to Ukraine, saying the equipment is in poor condition.
The first cargo ship to leave Ukraine in more than five months was hit by bad weather in the Black Sea and will arrive late in Istanbul. Turkish Admiral Ozkan Altunbulak said the Razoni, which left Odessa on Monday, is now expected to arrive in Istanbul early Wednesday.
– The death toll from a Russian missile attack on Vinnytsia has risen to 27. Local officials said a man died of severe burns after 20 days in hospital. Ninety people were hospitalized after a missile hit the city center in western central Ukraine on July 14.
The United States imposes sanctions on Putin’s distinguished girlfriend
US sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s associates are becoming more personal.
Having previously refused to sanction Putin’s famous girlfriend, out of concern about rising tensions, the Biden administration took the step on Tuesday when it froze Alina Kabaeva’s visa.
The Treasury said it also imposed property restrictions on Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnast and former member of the State Duma who the ministry said had a “close relationship with Putin.” The Treasury added that Kabaeva, 39, is the head of a Russian national media company that promotes the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The UK imposed sanctions on Kabaeva in May and the European Union imposed travel and asset restrictions on her in June. In April, the United States imposed sanctions on Putin’s two adult daughters, Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova.
“Alongside our allies, the United States will also continue to throttle revenue and equipment that support Russia’s gratuitous war in Ukraine,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
Russia supports China and describes Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan as very provocative
As Russia finds itself increasingly isolated by its war in Ukraine, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan presents an opportunity for Moscow to strengthen ties with a key ally.
And the Kremlin did not miss that opportunity on Tuesday, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov describing the possibility of Pelosi’s trip as “extremely provocative,” adding that it would “exacerbate the situation in the region and fuel tensions.” He made the comments before Pelosi’s plane landed in Taiwan on Tuesday night.
In contact with reporters, Peskov reiterated Russia’s “absolute solidarity” with China, which considers the autonomous Taiwan part of its territory, and expressed his intention to eventually seek reunification.
The United States has long maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity toward the China-Taiwan issue, recognizing the one-China principle on the mainland, while maintaining what the State Department calls a “strong informal relationship” with the democratic island of 23 million people.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned Pelosi’s visit as a “serious violation” of the one-China principle.
Greiner verdict expected ‘very soon’
WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist Britney Greiner who was arrested in Russia for cannabis possession, returned to a Moscow region courtroom Tuesday amid intense diplomatic talks between the White House and the Kremlin.
Defense attorney Maria Blagovolina told Reuters closing arguments would take place on Thursday and that Grenier’s verdict was expected “very soon”.
Greiner, 31, has been held in Russia since February after e-cigarette packets containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. She could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has called for “secret” talks, accusing the United States of “megaphone diplomacy” that will not move negotiations forward.
Russia declares the Azov militia a terrorist organization
Russia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday designated the Ukrainian Azov Regiment as a terrorist organization and said its members could be held criminally liable. The regiment ignored this designation in social media posts, saying that Russia was looking for excuses to commit war crimes. This designation could result in hundreds of combatants who surrendered at the Azovstal steel plant in May stripping their rights to prisoners of war. The fighters had finally stood for a week in the southern port city of Mariupol.
Dozens of Azov fighters and other prisoners of war were killed or wounded last week in an explosion at a prison controlled by pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian city of Olynyivka. Russia blamed Ukraine for the strike; Ukrainian authorities said Russia launched the blast to cover up abuse of prisoners.
The early leadership of Azov openly espoused views of white supremacy. But since the group was integrated into the Ukrainian National Guard in 2014, the leadership has repeatedly rejected Nazism, fascism and racism.
BP may stand to make bumper profits
BP became the latest energy giant to report huge profits on Tuesday, increasing pressure on governments to step in as energy companies profit from rising oil and natural gas prices that fuel inflation and put customers in the pocket.
London-based BP said its second-quarter profit nearly tripled to $9.26 billion from $3.12 billion in April and June last year. The company added that supply disruptions caused by the Russian war in Ukraine are keeping prices high.
BP’s glowing earnings report follows the same trend as its competitors. Last week, British rival Shell posted a record quarterly profit of $18 billion. Exxon Mobil reported net income of $17.85 billion, while US associate Chevron posted a profit of $11.62 billion.
The sound of US missile systems in Ukraine ‘maximum summer blow’
US Defense Secretary Oleksiy Reznikov said that four more HIMARS mobile missile systems have arrived in Ukraine. The weapons arrived just as the White House announced another aid package of $550 million for artillery and HIMARS ammunition. Reznikov said the money was “another investment in the security of NATO’s eastern flank” and a show of support for democracy. He said Ukrainian artillery was ready to “turn night into day” to drive out Russian forces.
The Pentagon said the missile systems have a range of up to 50 miles, enabling the Ukrainians to strike positions out of reach of most Russian artillery.
“I am grateful to POTUSSecDef Lloyd Austin III and the people for strengthening #UAarmy,” Rennikov said on Twitter. “We’ve proven that we are clever operators of this weapon. The sound of the #HIMARS shot has become the most successful hit this summer on the front lines!”
Secretary-General warns that the world is one step away from “nuclear annihilation”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sounded the alarm about the war in Ukraine, nuclear threats in Asia and the Middle East and other tensions, warning that “humanity is just one misunderstanding, a miscalculation far from nuclear annihilation.” The warning came Monday as a postponed pandemic conference opened to review the 50-year-old Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and ultimately achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.
The threat of a nuclear catastrophe was also raised by the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Nations nuclear coordinator and several other opening speakers.
Russia, which has been criticized by some speakers, did not give a word as scheduled on Monday, but was expected to speak on Tuesday. The representative of China is also scheduled to speak on Tuesday.
Contributing: The Associated Press