English Section

NATO backs U.S. sanctions on Russia, decries Moscow's "destabilising behaviour" (REUTERS)

15.04.2021 16:04
The United States' NATO allies backed on Thursday the latest round of U.S. sanctions on Russia, condemning Moscow over a build-up of Russian troops along Ukraine's border.
US President Joe Biden.
US President Joe Biden. Photo: EPA/Andrew Harnik

"Russia continues to demonstrate a sustained pattern of destabilising behaviour," the Western military alliance said in a statement of all 30 NATO allies, accusing Moscow of violating Ukraine's sovereignty, interfering in U.S. elections and engaging in malicious cyber activities.

U.S. President Joe Biden issued an executive order prohibiting U.S. financial institutions from participating in the primary market of Russia's government debt from June 14, with the order allowing for those actions to be expanded in future.

"We stand in solidarity with the United States," NATO said, while calling again on Russia to de-escalate tensions on Ukraine's border and agree to a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council, a forum for East-West dialogue.

The NATO-Russia Council (NRC) was created in 2002 to facilitate consultation between the Western military alliance and Moscow, but the Kremlin has declined the latest invitation to meet, NATO says. The council last met in July 2019.

(Reporting by Sabine Siebold, editing by Robin Emmott)