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Wednesday's announcement comes in the prospect of a high-level meeting in Paris where President Donald Trump could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. And that happens a day after Trump appeared to accuse his predecessor of the invasion of Crimea by Russia in 2014. "It's President Obama who allowed this to happen," insisted Trump.
Trump is also expected to meet Putin at the G20 meeting in Argentina, which will begin on November 30.
The Treasury Department announced sanctions against two people and one entity for "serious human rights violations" and penalties to eight other entities and a person in charge of promote Russian interests in Crimea.
One of these eight entities is also designated to be owned or controlled directly or indirectly by Bank Rossiya and Yuri Valentinovich Kovalchuk, who had already been sanctioned.
Abuse of human rights
Crimea-related actions reinforce the Crimea Declaration of July 25, saying the US does not recognize and recognize Russia's alleged annexation of Crimea, the Treasury said.
"The United States is mobilizing new authorities to target Russian actors who commit serious human rights violations in areas of Ukraine whose US government has determined that they are being held by force or otherwise controlled by the Russian government. "said Sigal Mandelker, Undersecretary for Treasury and Treasury Financial Intelligence.
"The Treasury remains committed to targeting Russia-backed entities that seek to profit from Russia's illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea," Mandelker said. "Our sanctions are a clear reminder that efforts to normalize investment and economic relations with those operating in Crimea will not be tolerated and are subject to US and European sanctions authorities."
The recently announced sanctions "appear to constitute a continuous" maintenance cycle "under existing sanctioning authorities," said Matthew Rojansky, director of the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center.
"That said, it's not unimportant," Rojansky added. "This underlines the persistent will of the administration to use the authority of the sanctions to put pressure on Russia and its proxies." This sends a very clear message to Moscow ahead of the expected Trump-Putin summit. in Argentina and Congress at a key moment after the mid-term elections. "
"There should be no doubt that the Treasury and the State will continue these series of sanctions, even if the administration pursues an improved dialogue with Russia on issues such as arms control and security. Syria, "said Rojansky.
Trump accused Obama of annexation
The announcement comes a day after Trump had insisted that former President Barack Obama was behind the annexation of Crimea by Russia.
Asked about a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump spoke of his July summit in Helsinki with the Russian leader.
"I had a very, very good meeting – a very good meeting with President Putin.We talked a lot about security, Syria, Ukraine, the fact that President Obama left a very big part of it, "said Trump.
When the reporter pointed out that "it is President Putin who annexed Crimea, Sir", Trump insisted on his version of the story.
"It was the regime of President Obama, it was during President Obama, is not it?" Trump said. "It was not for me, no, it was President Obama."
"But it is President Putin who has annexed," the reporter said.
"No, no, it's President Obama who allowed this to happen," Trump said. "It has nothing to do with me."
