MOSCOW – Russian lawmakers said on Friday they had drafted legislation inresponse to new U.S. sanctions that proposes banning imports of a raft ofU.S. goods and services to Russia, and restricting economic ties.
The draft law is to be discussed in the lower house of parliament nextweek. It proposes restricting imports of U.S.-made software and farm goods,U.S. medicines that can be sourced elsewhere, and tobacco and alcohol.
Russian lawmakers also said they proposed a ban on cooperation with theUnited States on atomic power, rocket engines and aircraft making. Thedraft proposes barring U.S. firms from taking part in Russian privatizationdeals.
The proposed measures are in retaliation for the White House last weekimposing the toughest set of sanctions on Russia since Moscow’s annexationof Ukraine’s Crimea region, which dragged relations to their lowest pointsince the Cold War.
The draft legislation was presented to reporters by deputy speakers of thelower house of parliament, the State Duma, which is dominated by Kremlinloyalists.
Neither the Kremlin nor the Russian government has said if they back themeasures, and it was not clear if it would become law in its current form.