Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday denounced the United States for imposing new sanctions on Syria's regime during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Despite the call from the UN secretary general for easing the pressure of sanctions under pandemic conditions, Washington like Brussels decided to prolong measures against Syria," Putin said during a televised meeting with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts on Syria.
"In addition, new sanctions presumably aimed at economically suffocating Syria have been adopted," he said during the video conference with Iran's Hassan Rouhani and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Caesar Act imposing new U.S. sanctions in Syria came into force in mid-June, with the first batch of designations targeting 39 people or entities, including President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma.
The sanctions laid down in the law aim to force Assad to accept UN Security Council Resolution 2254 of 2015 that calls for a ceasefire, elections and political transition in Syria.
Russia and Iran are key allies of Assad and Tehran also criticized the sanctions.
The two countries have met several times with Turkey, which has backed Assad's opposition, to work on resolving Syria's decade-old civil war.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
