Backhanded Diplomacy and Low-Blow Sanctions: US Tries to Target Friends and Partners of Russia
It’s not Russia but its partners that the US is frightening with new sanctions. For example, those who buy weapons. What is behind the threats, politics or a struggle for buyers? And can these sanctions really deprive Russian military factories of their orders?
Yekaterina Mironova reporting.
If they can't achieve anything with sanctions against Russia itself, why not try to influence its partners? Washington is threatening to introduce sanctions against international companies that cooperate with Russia in the MIC sphere.
"Starting today, the State Department can start introducing sanctions through Section 231 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act for substantial transactions with Russian MIC enterprises and intelligence services".
This contradicts all the principles of free trade, as Moscow legally opposes. This sanction policy is unacceptable. However, as the Federal Service of Military-Technical Cooperation put it, Russian companies are used to it. Despite the limitations introduced by the US before, the demand for our weapons is still high.
Maria Vorobyova, Federal Service of Military-Technical Cooperation representative: "From the economic point of view, this is a bad competition and open protectionism of the US. It contradicts the basic principles of free and legitimate trade. Russian enterprises have been working in such conditions for several years. And sanctions didn't affect much military and technical cooperation. We think that when foreign countries buy modern weapons, they, first of all, think of effective security provision. Russian weapons quality, proved in real combat conditions, leaves no doubts".
Sanctions that the US prepared in October didn't prevent Russia from working with permanent partners and acquiring new ones. Recently, Myanmar bought six Yak-130 planes. China bought five fighters, India is interested in helicopters. Even Turkey, a NATO member, made contracts on deliveries of the S-400 anti-aircraft weapon systems. Russian orders are growing and amount to more than 50 billion dollars. New threats to the US are only an illustration of American fears. The State Duma is sure of it. These are the competition measures for the US to fight for the buyer.
Vladimir Shamanov, State Duma Military Committee Chairman: "We expected that, as Syria showed that the weapons we used to destroy terrorists were effective. In the end, the US decided, using additional sanctions, to lower the potential of the Russian MIC. The measures they took prove that Russian weapons are the most effective today. Americans are scared of competition".
Experts say that hypothetically, the US' measures can bring results. But if Russian partners do decide to break contracts, it will be rare. One doesn't refuse to buy high-quality Russian weapons that easily.
Ruslan Pukhov, Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies Director: "If the US really makes an effort, a certain number of buyers that depend on the US in this or that way can leave us. First of all, it's about rich monarchies of the Persian Gulf, about Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and even such countries as Indonesia, which buys some fighters in Russia and some in the US, can also think whether to continue buying from us, as it often happens that our systems are expensive for them, for Indonesia, in particular".
The Federation Council assures that the US threats won't affect Russia's nearest plans. Missile systems will be shipped to Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and China according to schedule. The T-90 tanks will go to Vietnam and Iraq.
Viktor Ozerov, Federation Council member: "We can't deny a theoretical possibility of the fact that if these sanctions are introduced, some countries can break these contracts, claiming force majeure. But I don't think there'll be countries that will agree to abandon their plans of national security strengthening".
Frants Klintsevich, Federation Council member: "These US sanctions are another horror story, and as all the rest, they don't change anything. The US long ago started an all-line confrontation with Russia. But our country, during its many-century history, has survived bigger things and only got stronger".
Russian export positions in the world weapons market are traditionally strong. Our country is the second in the world following the US. Washington has 1/3 of the market. Russia has 23%. This considers a big difference in military budgets of the two countries.
Yekaterina Mironova, Vesti