US uses sanctions to show off harsh stance toward strategic rival Russia — ambassador

WASHINGTON, September 18. /TASS/. The endless packages of US sanctions have become a political mechanism and a way for Washington to show off its harshness toward its strategic rival Moscow, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said.
“Endless packages of restrictions are no longer about inflicting economic damage on us. It’s been long since they became a political mechanism to serve the electoral interests of the Democratic administration. They have become a way to demonstrate harshness toward our country, America’s strategic rival,” the diplomat said.
He said sound-minded US analysts and journalists repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of sanctions against Russia.
According to the ambassador, there are certain obstacles for Russia because of the sanctions, and one should not completely turn a blind eye to this problem.
“It’s just that their scale is much weaker than announced. The domestic economy continues to demonstrate resilience in the face of restrictions. This is explicitly stated in the reports of the International Monetary Fund. We are modernizing the national economy at a record pace, restoring its production capacity. This is helped, among other things, by the diversification of supply chains through the involvement of reliable partners,” the diplomat said.
He also mentioned the multibillion-dollar losses of American companies that “fled the Russian market under pressure from local officials and Russophobic commentators.”
“I will underscore this: We did not kick anyone out. We were ready to continue working with corporations,” Antonov said. “There are enough stories in the press now about how entrepreneurs succumbed to political and, sometimes psychological pressure and then kicked themselves. Especially as for many of them there is now no way back. Not because of some government policy, but because of the traditional laws of the market. Their place has simply been taken by competitors from other countries,” the ambassador said.