International sanctions

Photo: kremlin.ru

Russia ordered the United States to cut its diplomatic staff by September 1 and said it was seizing a dacha compound and warehouse used by US diplomats in retaliation for new US sanctions against Moscow.

U.S. lawmakers reached an agreement on Wednesday that paves the way for the U.S. Senate to pass a bill as soon as this week to impose new sanctions on Russia, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said, despite the objections of President Donald Trump's administration, Reuters reports.

Moscow will retaliate against the US for the expected adoption of new anti-Russian sanctions, which are viewed in Russia as senseless and destructive, Russia's deputy foreign minister said.

EU commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker called for an urgent debate on Brussels's response if European companies are affected by US anti-Russian sanctions. The announcement is made by the Financial Times, cited by TASS.

The United States on Thursday hit oil giant ExxonMobil with a $2 million fine for violating Ukraine-related sanctions at a time when Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was still in charge of the company.

The European Union has prolonged anti-Russia economic sanctions, keeping restrictions on business with Russian energy, defense, and financial sectors until January 31, 2018.

A peculiar picture has again appeared in Turkey's gold trade. The export and import of gold bars with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is at the center of this peculiarity.

Total will go ahead with development of a giant Iranian gas field this summer, its CEO told Reuters, in the first major western energy investment in the country since Tehran signed an international nuclear deal.

A number of key sectors with strong ties to Russia - including the agricultural, construction and tourism sectors - are eyeing the complete removal of Russian economic sanctions on Turkey.

Deutsche Bank AG is expected to be fined by the Federal Reserve and New York’s Department of Financial Services for its conduct in the foreign exchange market, a person familiar with the matter said.
The German lender said Monday that the U.S. Justice Department had closed a criminal inquiry into its currency-trading activities without action.