O'Brien Says 'Not A Lot' Left To Sanction In Russia, US Eyes Other Responses On Belarus

The United States has already imposed so many sanctions on Russia that it now lacks targets to designate in response to the situation in Belarus, so Washington is looking for other ways to show its displeasure, US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said on Friday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2020) The United States has already imposed so many sanctions on Russia that it now lacks targets to designate in response to the situation in Belarus, so Washington is looking for other ways to show its displeasure, US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said on Friday.

"The problem we have with the Russians is there is not a lot left to sanction. Our trade has diminished to a level that, you know, we've sanctioned I think 300 entities and oligarchs in Russia, we've sanctioned all the energy companies," O'Brien said at an event with the Aspen Security Forum. "There is not a lot we can do on the sanctions front with Russia, but we are looking for additional places where we can show our displeasure. It's getting harder to do because of the comprehensive nature of the sanctions we have on them."

Commenting on the recent EU sanctions in response to Belarus, O'Brien said the United States has "got a process" that is still ongoing.

"The EU has taken more of a lead," he said. "We are fully supporting it. I am in touch with my colleagues, my national security adviser colleagues at our major European allies, also with the Swedes, with the Baltic countries, and you know, we are doing what we can to support the environment there but it's a difficult situation.

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O'Brien said the US wants to help the people of Belarus but at the same time seeks to avoid triggering a crackdown on protesters.

"We don't want to come in and be accused of fomenting another color revolution that would give license to the Russians or Lukashenko or someone to crack down on these protesters," he said.

Mass anti-governmental demonstrations erupted in the Belarusian capital of Minsk and the country's other major cities following the disputed results of August 9 presidential elections won by incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko. Brussels has condemned both the results of the vote, which it believes to be fraudulent, and subsequent police violence towards protesters opposed to Lukashenko's victory.

Amid the ongoing protests, the largest of which are on weekends, the EU imposed sanctions on 40 Belarusian officials over the election results and also expressed support for Belarusian opposition politician Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who has since fled the country after coming second in the elections.