U.S. House of Representatives approves suspending trade with Belarus and Russia


The bill to suspend regular trade relations with Russia and Belarus was supported by 424 U.S. lawmakers, golosameriki.com reports.

The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration.

The suspension of normal trade relations means that Russian and Belarusian imports will be denied the most-favored-nation treatment in the U.S. market. This will allow the administration of President Joe Biden to impose a higher duty on Russian and Belarusian goods than on the rest of the World Trade Organization member countries.

The initiative also requires the U.S. trade negotiator to freeze Russia’s participation in the WTO and suspend Belarus’ accession to the organization.

The document will remain in force until January 1, 2024. The U.S. president will have the opportunity to resume normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus “if these countries stop their aggressive actions against Ukraine and if certain other conditions are met,” says the explanatory note to the bill.

The bill would also expand the provisions of the Global Human Rights Act (the Magnitsky Act), which would make it easier to impose sanctions on Russian officials for human rights abuses.

Joe Biden said that not only the United States but also each of the NATO countries plan to strip Russia of its most-favored-nation status.

belsat.eu

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