US 'frustrated, angered' by Russia evading sanctions: US Commerce Sec.

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
8 May 2024 21:39
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US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo expressed frustration over Russia's ability to bypass export controls.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo testifies during a House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies budget hearing on the Fiscal Year 2025 request for the Department of Commerce, Wednesday, May 8, 2024, on Capitol Hill in Washington (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

At a Senate hearing on Wednesday, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo acknowledged that Russia's ability to circumvent export controls with alleged assistance from China is causing significant frustration and anger.

"I think we're doing everything we can with the resources we have but it's massively frustrating and angering when you see Russia do what they do and work with, you know, folks like China to get around our export controls," Raimondo said.

Responding to a query on enhancing measures to prevent the misuse of US technology by rival states like Russia, the commerce secretary addressed the need for more effective safeguards.

"The fact that they have to use chips from breast pumps and refrigerators and such — which is what they're doing — is because our initial controls work [in] denying [them] the sophisticated stuff," said Raimondo, further noting that the Biden administration has taken extensive measures to address the issue to the best of its ability.

"For example, when we find out that a Chinese company is going around our export controls to Russia, we put that company on the entity list," Raimondo claimed.

She mentioned that the administration has established a task force in collaboration with the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice. This task force is aimed at identifying and prosecuting countries or companies that attempt to evade US controls.

Trade decline amid sanctions

In recent years, US-Russian trade relations have significantly diminished due to sanctions and export controls imposed on Moscow.

According to the US Trade Representative's Office, bilateral trade sharply declined from $38.2 billion in 2013 to $5.2 billion in 2023.

Despite this, US exports to Russia saw a slight increase from $36 million in February to $43.7 million in March, as per US Census Bureau data.

On the other hand, US imports from Russia surged to $427 million in March, up from $287.9 million in February.

Overall, the US has imposed around 3,500 anti-Russia sanctions on individuals and entities since the start of the special military operation in February 2022.

Russian officials argue that Russia is addressing the challenges posed by Western sanctions, asserting that the sanctions regime has failed to weaken the country's economy, despite the West's reluctance to acknowledge this.