U.S. Secretary of State does not rule out the possibility of recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism
Anthony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, for the first time did not rule out the possibility of recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
He said this during a hearing in the US Senate Committee on China.
Blinken's statement was made during a debate with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who urged that Russia be recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism.
"We all want China not to help Russia, don't we? I have an idea. 100 U.S. senators have proposed designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism to stop countries like China from arming them," Graham recalled.
"Several months have passed and nothing has changed. Mr. Secretary of State, I like you, but you're never going to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, are you?" - he asked.
The American diplomat replied briefly: "Don't say 'never'."
Continuing the debate with the senator, Blinken said that, in his opinion, the sanctions already imposed and the powers the United States has managed to deter Beijing from supporting Moscow militarily.
Recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism would lead to Moscow's international isolation and oblige the United States to impose additional restrictions on countries that cooperate with the Kremlin. It is the State Department that has the right to establish such a status.
The Biden administration has previously rejected demands to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, arguing that this would limit US actions in cooperation with Russia in general and block all diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine.
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