You're reading: Expansion of US sanctions list should reduce possibility of avoiding sanctions – US diplomat

MOSCOW - Washington's decision on the expansion of the sanctions list on Russia is aimed at preventing avoidance of the current U.S. sanctions, the U.S. embassy in Moscow said.

Will Stevens, spokesperson for the U.S. embassy to Russia, said the recent expansion of sanctions is not escalation, but a regular step aimed at reinforcing the current measures, whose purpose is to stop the recurring and considerable avoidance of the current sanctions.

The purpose of this step is to guarantee the effectiveness of the earlier imposed sanctions, he said.