People pass by US National flags in Washington, DC on Jan 9, 2021. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
WASHINGTON/KYIV/PARIS – US House of Representatives on Thursday voted to suspend normal trade relations with Russia, paving the way for the US government to impose higher tariffs on Russian goods.
US President Joe Biden also signed an executive order banning Russian seafood imports, as well as alcohol and certain diamonds. In addition, it bans the sale of US luxury goods to Russia, including high-end vehicles, luxury watches and top-shelf jewelry
The lower chamber approved the measure by vote of 424-8, with a few Republicans voting against, sending the legislation to the Senate.
The House vote came just a few days after US President Joe Biden announced that the administration would revoke Russia's most-favored nation trade status amid the Ukraine crisis, along with Group of Seven countries and the European Union.
Biden also signed an executive order banning Russian seafood imports, as well as alcohol and certain diamonds. In addition, it bans the sale of US luxury goods to Russia, including high-end vehicles, luxury watches and top-shelf jewelry.
The United States also recently banned oil and gas imports from Russia, although they accounted for less than 10 percent of US energy imports.
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Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University and senior United Nations advisor, recently told Xinhua that sanctions, which cause considerable damage, are "unlikely" to succeed in their political aims.
"The US and EU are very energetic in the imposition of sanctions, trade barriers, technology barriers, and financial barriers towards Russia… I do not agree with this," Sachs said.
Negotiation and compromise would be "much wiser", he said.
Ukrainian negotiator Mikhailo Podolyak speaks to media after talks between delegations from Ukraine and Russia in Belarus' Gomel region on Feb 28, 2022. (SERGEI KHOLODILIN / BELTA / AFP)
Peace deal within week and half
Kyiv wants to fix in detail a specific plan for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine in the peace deal, said Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak
Also on Thursday, Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said it would take between a few days and a week and a half for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace agreement, the Ukrainian online media outlet Liga.net reported.
Kyiv wants to fix in detail a specific plan for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine in the peace deal, said Podolyak, who is also a member of the Ukrainian delegation to the peace talks with Russia.
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If the agreement is inked, it would allow Ukraine and Russia to end the acute phase of the conflict, he added.
On Wednesday, Podolyak said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may hold talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the coming days.
A picture taken on Feb 7, 2020, shows the logo of the European Space Agency (ESA) at its European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, western Germany. (YANN SCHREIBER / AFP)
Mars mission cooperation with Russia halted
The European Space Agency said it will no longer be working with the Russian space agency Roscosmos on the ExoMars rover mission due to the crisis in Ukraine
The European Space Agency announced on Thursday it is suspending its collaboration with Russia on a mission to investigate life on Mars.
The ESA said it will no longer be working with the Russian space agency Roscosmos on the ExoMars rover mission due to the crisis in Ukraine.
According to its website, ESA's Director General Josef Aschbacher has been authorized by the ESA member states to carry out a fast-track industrial study to find alternative options for implementing the ExoMars mission.
READ MORE: Russia 'backs extending space deal with US until 2030'
The ExoMars Program comprises two missions: the first – the Trace Gas Orbiter – was launched in 2016. The second, comprising a rover and surface platform, was originally planned for 2018 but has been put off till 2022.
