U.S.Department of State,update (part 1)

 

75 Years of Diplomatic Relations Between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 02/17/2024 75 Years of Diplomatic Relations Between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 02/17/2024 08:07 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Today, we celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.  On February 18, 1949, Wells Stabler presented his credentials as the first American Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to Jordan.  Since then, our countries have been partners, allies, and close friends.  Our relationship has been a testament to a shared vision of peace, security, and prosperity for the entire region. Over more than seven decades of partnership, our relationship has expanded to advance inclusive economic development, enhance opportunities for women and youth, ensure sustainable access to safe water, and promote commercial ties.  Strengthening our security cooperation, promoting regional stability, and sustaining humanitarian efforts have been the cornerstones of our bilateral relationship.  Our partnership has thrived over the last 75 years due to the steadfast bonds between the peoples of our two countries, as well as our leaders. That strong foundation will enable us to further strengthen the U.S.-Jordan strategic partnership in the future.  We remain dedicated to supporting Jordan on its path toward greater prosperity and stability under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II and look forward to deepening our historic security, economic, and cultural ties. 75 Years of Diplomatic Relations Between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 02/17/2024 75 Years of Diplomatic Relations Between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan 02/17/2024 08:07 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Today, we celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.  On February 18, 1949, Wells Stabler presented his credentials as the first American Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to Jordan.  Since then, our countries have been partners, allies, and close friends.  Our relationship has been a testament to a shared vision of peace, security, and prosperity for the entire region. Over more than seven decades of partnership, our relationship has expanded to advance inclusive economic development, enhance opportunities for women and youth, ensure sustainable access to safe water, and promote commercial ties.  Strengthening our security cooperation, promoting regional stability, and sustaining humanitarian efforts have been the cornerstones of our bilateral relationship.  Our partnership has thrived over the last 75 years due to the steadfast bonds between the peoples of our two countries, as well as our leaders. That strong foundation will enable us to further strengthen the U.S.-Jordan strategic partnership in the future.  We remain dedicated to supporting Jordan on its path toward greater prosperity and stability under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II and look forward to deepening our historic security, economic, and cultural ties. The Gambia National Day 02/18/2024 The Gambia National Day 02/18/2024 12:01 AM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I extend my congratulations to the people of The Gambia on the 59th anniversary of your independence. On this occasion, we reaffirm our enduring partnership and friendship with the people and government of The Gambia. I look forward to expanding our close partnership on a wide range of initiatives which aim to strengthen democracy, advance gender equality, promote human rights, support regional stability and security, ensure good governance, and further develop bilateral economic ties to the benefit of both the people of the United States of America and The Gambia. The United States appreciates that the government and people of The Gambia will remain our steadfast partner against those who seek to repress fundamental freedoms and undermine the international rules-based order. I value your support on the global stage as a sign of our commitment to building a peaceful and prosperous world. I look forward to working together to build even stronger ties in the years ahead. The Gambia National Day 02/18/2024 The Gambia National Day 02/18/2024 12:01 AM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I extend my congratulations to the people of The Gambia on the 59th anniversary of your independence. On this occasion, we reaffirm our enduring partnership and friendship with the people and government of The Gambia. I look forward to expanding our close partnership on a wide range of initiatives which aim to strengthen democracy, advance gender equality, promote human rights, support regional stability and security, ensure good governance, and further develop bilateral economic ties to the benefit of both the people of the United States of America and The Gambia. The United States appreciates that the government and people of The Gambia will remain our steadfast partner against those who seek to repress fundamental freedoms and undermine the international rules-based order. I value your support on the global stage as a sign of our commitment to building a peaceful and prosperous world. I look forward to working together to build even stronger ties in the years ahead. Under Secretary Fernandez’s Travel to Atlanta and North Georgia 02/19/2024 Under Secretary Fernandez’s Travel to Atlanta and North Georgia 02/19/2024 01:00 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez will travel to Atlanta, Georgia February 20-21, 2024, to showcase the State Department’s work on the clean energy transition and supply chain resilience in the United States, and to see firsthand the impact that diplomacy has in promoting economic security and prosperity for Georgians and Americans across the country. In Atlanta, Under Secretary Fernandez will highlight the Department’s efforts to address vulnerabilities that directly impact the American people – including efforts to secure critical minerals for the development of EV batteries in Georgia’s growing clean energy sector. During his trip, the Under Secretary will highlight U.S. foreign policy efforts to deepen economic and energy cooperation with countries overseas to create American jobs and to increase trade and investment in the United States.  He will also showcase large-scale foreign direct investment from partners and allies, such as the Republic of Korea, in the rapidly growing emerging technology and clean energy sectors. The Biden Administration’s priority to secure critical minerals supply chains is key to supporting Georgia’s businesses and technologies essential to the clean energy transition. He looks forward to meeting with Mayor Andre Dickens, visiting the Hanwha Q Cells Solar Panel Factory in Dalton, Georgia and engaging with the Atlanta Metro Chamber of Commerce and business leaders.  At the World Affairs Council of Atlanta, the Under Secretary will discuss the impact of diplomacy on Atlanta and the increasing role of cities and states in U.S. foreign policy. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he will discuss international collaboration on monitoring and preventing infectious diseases. Under Secretary Fernandez and the newly created Office of Subnational Diplomacy have formed key connections with city, county, state, and community leaders in Atlanta and Georgia, elevating their voices on the international stage, and ensuring that their perspectives are reflected in U.S. foreign policy by delivering tangible benefits to local communities and creating good-paying jobs around the country. To stay up to date, follow Under Secretary Fernandez on X: @State_E, LinkedIn: @State-E, and Facebook: @StateDeptE. For press inquiries, please contact: E_Communications@state.gov. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Bitter Travels to India and Qatar 02/19/2024 Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Bitter Travels to India and Qatar 02/19/2024 01:31 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter will travel February 19-27 to Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Doha.  The Assistant Secretary will engage with embassy and consulate colleagues in all four cities.  In India, home to the second largest U.S. consular operation in the world, she will visit facilities in Chennai and Mumbai and lead a U.S. delegation in a bilateral consular dialogue with counterparts in New Delhi.  Her visit follows a year of record-breaking visa issuances in India.  In Qatar, she will observe the work of our consular teams.  Our consular operations in India and Qatar bolster the critical people-to-people and economic ties the United States shares with these vital partners.  The Assistant Secretary’s trip highlights our sustained commitment to the protection of U.S. citizens overseas and the facilitation of legitimate travel and immigration to the United States. For updates on Assistant Secretary Bitter’s travel follow @TravelGov  on social media. U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy 02/20/2024 U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy 02/20/2024 09:40 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson The U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy (ACPD) will hold a public meeting in person with online access from 11:00 a.m. until 12:15 p.m., Monday, February 26, 2024.  In addition to discussing the Commission’s recently published 2023 Comprehensive Annual Report on Public Diplomacy and International Broadcasting, a panel of current and former ACPD commissioners, executive directors, and longtime research and policy partners will reflect on the ACPD’s 75 years of service to the White House, Congress, and the American people. This meeting is open to the public, including the media and members and staff of governmental and non-governmental organizations.  The event will take place at the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs (room 602), 1957 E St NW, Washington, DC 20052. Doors will open at 10:30 a.m.  Please use this link  to register to attend the event in person or virtually. Congress created the bipartisan ACPD in 1948 to appraise U.S. government activities intended to understand, inform, and influence foreign publics.  The Commission conducts research that provides honest assessments of public diplomacy efforts and disseminates findings through reports, white papers, and other publications.  It also holds public symposia that generate informed discussions on public diplomacy issues. The Commission reports to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. For more information about the ACPD, its public meetings, congressionally mandated annual reports, and special reports, such as the recent assessment of the integration of DEIA principles into public diplomacy practices, please visit the ACPD website. U.S. Relations with Brazil 02/20/2024 U.S. Relations with Brazil 02/20/2024 09:52 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson Secretary Antony J. Blinken’s visit to Brasilia, Brazil on February 20, 2024, underscores the United States’ commitment to supporting Brazil’s goals during its Presidency of the Group of 20 (G20).  Secretary Blinken will meet with Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva in advance of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Rio de Janeiro.  The Secretary will reaffirm our mutual interest in securing international peace, recognizing workers’ rights, promoting racial equity, and ending deforestation. U.S.-Brazil Relations This year marks the bicentennial of U.S.-Brazil relations.  Following Brazil’s independence in 1822, the United States was one of the first countries to recognize Brazil in 1824.  As the largest democracies in the Western Hemisphere, the U.S.-Brazil partnership is rooted in a shared commitment to sustainable economic growth and prosperity; promotion of international peace, security, and respect for human rights; protection of the environment and biodiversity; and strong defense, health, and security cooperation. U.S.-Brazil Economic Relations Brazil is the world’s eleventh-largest economy, and the United States is Brazil’s second-largest trading partner.  In 2022, two-way trade in goods and services was $120.7 billion. Brazil’s main imports from the United States are industrial and energy-related products such as refined fuel, natural gas, fertilizers, aircraft, and medical instruments.  Brazil’s primary export products to the United States are crude oil, aircraft, iron and steel, coffee, and wood pulp. S. exports to Brazil support nearly 130,000 U.S. jobs and U.S. private sector data shows that Brazilian exports to the U.S. support more than 500,000 jobs in Brazil. According to the Brazilian Central Bank, U.S. foreign direct investment in Brazil totaled $191.6 billion in 2021, by far the most of any The United States and Brazil seek to expand the bilateral Agreement on Trade and Economic Partnership (ATEC) to spur more trade and investment. U.S.-Brazil Relations on Human Rights Since 2015, the two countries have engaged through the U.S.-Brazil Global Human Rights Working Group Dialogue on key multilateral and bilateral issues. At the most recent working group dialogue in February 2022, the United States and Brazil discussed better alignment within the United Nations as well as key bilateral issues, such as police violence and racial bias, gender equity, protection of rights of Indigenous peoples and environmental defenders, business and human rights, and the protection and promotion of religious freedom. In May 2023, the Governments of Brazil and the United States relaunched the U.S.-Brazil Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality (JAPER), fulfilling the February 2023 pledge of Presidents Biden and Lula to reinvigorate JAPER as part of their commitment to addressing racial and ethnic inequities in both countries. In September 2023, Presidents Biden and Lula launched the Partnership for Worker’s Rights, the first joint U.S.-Brazil global initiative to advance the rights of working people around the world. With this new initiative, the United States intends to strengthen and expand existing bilateral cooperation on these issues and to enhance coordination with U.S. and Brazilian labor stakeholders and the International Labour Organization to address some of the most salient challenges facing working people around the world.  U.S.-Brazil Climate Engagement Brazil has one of the cleanest power generation matrixes in the world, with a heavy reliance on hydroelectric power as well as growing solar and wind capacity.  More than 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest – a globally-critical carbon sink – lies within Brazil’s borders. Although deforestation rates have increased in the last decade, the Lula administration committed to ending deforestation by 2030 and reaching net zero emissions by 2050. The United States applauds Brazil’s success in reducing by half deforestation in the Amazon in 2023. The United States currently provides technical and financial support through a variety of means, including USAID programming, the U.S.-Brazil Energy Forum, and several dialogues focused on the clean energy transition. U.S.-Brazil Education and Cultural Cooperation The United States and Brazil have a long history of people-to-people ties through investment and exchanges in education, culture, sports, energy, health, agriculture, science and technology, English language training, and innovation. More than 60,000 youth, students, scholars, teachers, and professionals have participated in cultural and educational exchanges between the United States and Brazil. Forty-two EducationUSA centers help Brazilian high school and university students access opportunities to study in the United States. U.S.-Brazil Technology and Defense Cooperation The United States and Brazil are strengthening cooperation on defense issues, including research and development, technology security, and the acquisition and development of products and services.  Under the umbrella of the 2015 U.S-Brazil Defense Cooperation Agreement, a range of security cooperation agreements and initiatives promote joint exercises and facilitate sharing of sophisticated capabilities and technologies. Brazil became a Major Non-NATO Ally of the United States in July 2019. In March 2022, the Brazilian Congress ratified the Research, Development, Test and Evaluations (RDT&E) Agreement with the United States, allowing for potential partnerships between U.S. and Brazilian defense technology companies. The draft Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement (RDPA) was released by Brazil for a 60-day public comment period in early February 2024; the RDPA would generate economic and security benefits for both countries. U.S. Assistance to Brazil The U.S. Department of State’s Bureaus of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) and Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Forest Service, and other partners, provide law enforcement and justice sector training for Brazilian counterparts to support their efforts to combat nature crimes that impact the United States, Brazil, and the region. The U.S. government also employs a variety of INL programs to build the capacity of Brazilian law enforcement partners.  INL-funded training led by the Drug Enforcement Agency, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and other partners develops Brazil’s capacity to improve citizen security, interdict drugs, and counter the expansion of Brazil-based transnational crime organizations that threaten U.S. security and prosperity. The U.S. government also provides security assistance to military education institutions within Brazil’s Ministry of Defense. For example, the Global Defense Reform Program has cultivated a long-term partnership with Brazil’s Superior Defense College and continues to strengthen its institutional capacity and curriculum. Since FY 2017, the U.S. government has provided more than $3.6 billion in humanitarian, economic, development, and health assistance to protect and assist Venezuelans throughout the region, of which more than $178 million has supported Venezuelans inside Brazil. USAID engages in a long-standing bilateral partnership with the Government of Brazil across several joint priorities, including biodiversity conservation in the Amazon, private sector partnerships to promote best practices, and resources to stimulate development solutions for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable socioeconomic livelihoods of the Amazon. Brazil’s Membership in International Organizations Brazil and the United States share a commitment to multilateral engagement through many international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, the G20, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization. For the last two years, Brazil has partnered with the United States to provide pre-deployment training to the Malawi Defense Force Battalion deploying to the peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their trainers have enhanced pre-deployment training and increased Malawi’s performance in the mission. In 2023, Brazil held the Presidency of the Latin American Association of Training Centers for Peacekeeping Operations (ALCOPAZ). Under Brazil’s leadership, ALCOPAZ developed an Environmental Management in Peace Operations course, which it offered regionally in September. Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation Brazil is an active member and positive voice in the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, a White House initiative launched on September 18, 2023. The 38-country Partnership enables Atlantic coastal states to collaborate on common challenges to advance a peaceful, stable, prosperous, open, safe, and cooperative Atlantic region and promote a healthy, sustainable, and resilient Atlantic resources. Joint Statement on Expanding Exchange Opportunities Between the United States and Austria 02/20/2024 Joint Statement on Expanding Exchange Opportunities Between the United States and Austria 02/20/2024 03:11 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Austria on the occasion of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding: Begin Text  On February 20, United States Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield and Austrian Ambassador Petra Schneebauer signed the first Professional Development and Cultural Exchange Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Republic of Austria and the United States, to establish a reciprocal exchange arrangement.  This MOU expands on existing exchanges by opening opportunities for technical and vocational students in Austria and the United States.  This exchange will strengthen the people-to-people dimension of the strategic partnership between the United States and Austria, increase mutual understanding between Austrians and U.S. citizens, reinforce the links between our nations, and help young people in both countries gain valuable skills and experience. Austrian citizens, between 18 and 30 years of age who are enrolled in or recently graduated from an Austrian-accredited post-secondary or a dual/vocational education program will be eligible to participate.  Similarly, United States citizens aged 18 to 30 years of age who have recently graduated from a United States degree, diploma, or certificate granting educational institution will be eligible.  The United States is expanding educational exchange opportunities, enabling post-secondary or vocational education students to participate alongside students from colleges and universities. The signing took place at the Embassy of Austria in Washington, DC. Students from area vocational and technical schools were in attendance, alongside representatives of exchange sponsor organizations and government officials. End Text  For further information, please contact ECA-Press@state.gov. Joint Statement on Expanding Exchange Opportunities Between the United States and Austria 02/20/2024 Joint Statement on Expanding Exchange Opportunities Between the United States and Austria 02/20/2024 03:11 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and Austria on the occasion of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding: Begin Text  On February 20, United States Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield and Austrian Ambassador Petra Schneebauer signed the first Professional Development and Cultural Exchange Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Republic of Austria and the United States, to establish a reciprocal exchange arrangement.  This MOU expands on existing exchanges by opening opportunities for technical and vocational students in Austria and the United States.  This exchange will strengthen the people-to-people dimension of the strategic partnership between the United States and Austria, increase mutual understanding between Austrians and U.S. citizens, reinforce the links between our nations, and help young people in both countries gain valuable skills and experience. Austrian citizens, between 18 and 30 years of age who are enrolled in or recently graduated from an Austrian-accredited post-secondary or a dual/vocational education program will be eligible to participate.  Similarly, United States citizens aged 18 to 30 years of age who have recently graduated from a United States degree, diploma, or certificate granting educational institution will be eligible.  The United States is expanding educational exchange opportunities, enabling post-secondary or vocational education students to participate alongside students from colleges and universities. The signing took place at the Embassy of Austria in Washington, DC. Students from area vocational and technical schools were in attendance, alongside representatives of exchange sponsor organizations and government officials. End Text  For further information, please contact ECA-Press@state.gov. Department of State and Arizona State University Announce New ITSI Initiative 02/20/2024 Department of State and Arizona State University Announce New ITSI Initiative 02/20/2024 04:46 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson This week, the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, awarded a $13.8 million cooperative agreement (CA) to Arizona State University (ASU) under the International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund, created by the CHIPS Act of 2022.  This new initiative will bolster the assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) capabilities in ITSI partner countries in the Americas and Indo-Pacific, enhancing a resilient supply chain for U.S. semiconductor manufacturers. This multi-regional initiative, led by State and ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, marks the beginning of the next phase of the Department’s ITSI-related efforts, builds on the ongoing ecosystem reviews, and will contribute to the growth and diversification of the global semiconductor ecosystem.  This initiative will help our ITSI partners create the investment environment to support the semiconductor industry and will bolster workforce capacity to create a pipeline of new talent.  Through high-quality workforce development programs, this initiative builds workforce skills partners need to keep up with advancing technology, secure meaningful employment, and contribute to economic growth and prosperity.  The initiative will also allow US semiconductor manufacturers to leverage improved supply chains and labor connections from around the world. In August 2022, President Biden signed the CHIPS Act of 2022, a U.S. law that appropriated new funding to boost domestic manufacturing and research of semiconductors in the United States.  The CHIPS Act of 2022 created the ITSI Fund, which provides the U.S. Department of State with $500 million ($100 million per year over five years, starting in Fiscal Year 2023) to promote the development and adoption of secure and trustworthy telecommunications networks and ensure semiconductor supply chain security and diversification through new programs and initiatives with our allies and partners. More information about the ITSI Fund: The U.S. Department of State International Technology Security and Innovation Fund. Secretary Blinken Makes First Visit to Albania, Attends Munich Security Conference 02/20/2024 View as a webpage  /  Share The Week at State  |  February 11-18 In “The Week at State,” Secretary Antony Blinken took his first trip to Albania to reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-Albania relationship. After that, he traveled to Germany with Vice President Kamala Harris for the Munich Security Conference to underscore the importance of the enduring U.S. commitment to the NATO alliance. Secretary Blinken Travels to Europe Albania In Tirana, Secretary Blinken met with Albanian President Begaj and other Albanian officials to express our appreciation for Albania’s support for Ukraine and for helping resettle thousands of people from Afghanistan. The United States is committed to supporting Albania on its path to EU accession and in fighting corruption and organized crime.  Germany Secretary Blinken joined Vice President Harris and other world leaders at the Munich Security Conference to advance peace through dialogue. Throughout his trip, the Secretary held bilateral meetings to underscore the United States’ enduring support for Ukraine, discuss our work to achieve lasting peace and security in the Middle East, and highlight our steadfast commitment to transnational security. A Multilateral Conversation While in Germany, Secretary Blinken joined German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar for a constructive dialogue.  “Our strategic partnerships and regional cooperation are more important than ever as we address ongoing threats to global peace and security,” Secretary Blinken said on Twitter/X.  Human Rights Secretary Blinken Reacts to Reports on Aleksey Navalny’s Death in Russian Prison Following news of Aleksey Navalny’s death on February 16, Secretary Blinken said: “His death in a Russian prison — and the fixation and fear of one man — only underscores the weakness and rot at the heart of the system that Putin has built. Russia is responsible for this, we’ll be talking to many other countries concerned about Aleksey Navalny, especially if these reports bear out to be true.” Human Trafficking Secretary Blinken Chairs Interagency Task Force Meeting  On February 13 in Washington, Secretary Blinken chaired the 2024 meeting of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. The meeting underscored the important collective action the U.S. is taking to end this crime. That same day, Secretary Blinken presented the Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons to Dr. Minh Dang and Restore NYC. We applaud their significant contributions to combating human trafficking and supporting and partnering with survivors.  Our Workforce Deputy Secretary of State Takes the Oath of Office Kurt Campbell began his tenure as Deputy Secretary of State on February 11. He returns to the Department following his most recent public service position as Indo-Pacific Coordinator at the White House.  “Honored and thrilled to serve as the 22nd Deputy Secretary of State,” Deputy Secretary Campbell said on Twitter/X. “A profound privilege to join my State Department colleagues in the diplomacy essential to advancing America’s security, prosperity, and values.” Connections Learn About Food Insecurity From a Foreign Policy Perspective Not having access to food is a challenge that affects every part of the world.  If you want a better understanding of food insecurity through a foreign policy lens, sign up for the Gilman Program’s seminar series, happening now through April 26. Travel and Visa Services Do You Qualify for H-1B Visa Renewal? The State Department recently began a pilot program for domestic renewals of H-1B visas for qualified applicants. We are opening thousands of slots each Monday through February 26 to qualified participants who would like to renew their H-1B visas without leaving the U.S. This Week February 20-23: Secretary Blinken travels to Brazil and Argentina February 21: International Mother Language Day February 24: The second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Looking Ahead March 1: Women’s History Month begins Useful links Travel advisories and updates on international travel for U.S. Citizens from the Department of State Did you know that you can invite a representative from the Department of State to speak at your school, business, agency or organization? Learn about what we do through the firsthand experience of one of our representatives.  Read More at State.gov Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe All  |  Help Privacy Policy Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation Senior Officials Meeting 02/20/2024 Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation Senior Officials Meeting 02/20/2024 07:03 PM EST HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation Senior Officials Meeting hide Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation Senior Officials Meeting Media Note February 20, 2024 Senior Coordinator for Atlantic Cooperation Ambassador Jessye Lapenn hosted the second virtual meeting of senior representatives from 34 members of the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation on February 15, 2024.  Partnership members agreed to advance collaboration on marine spatial planning, led by Spain, Morocco, and Angola; and scientific capacity building and exchange led by Portugal, the United States, and others.  Members also decided to convene a variety of workshops in 2024 on issues of mutual interest such as: marine plastic pollution; abandoned, lost, and discarded fishing gear; food and nutrition security; and innovative financing tools for the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources in the Atlantic Ocean.  The Partnership will continue to advance scientific cooperation by sharing information and building capacity.  The senior officials agreed to support the development of marine spatial plans as a critical tool for sustainable economic and social development in Atlantic coastal states, and to foster comprehensive Atlantic Ocean data collection, sharing, and analysis.    The Partnership engages in collective problem-solving of shared challenges and advances shared principles for Atlantic cooperation, as reflected in the Declaration on Atlantic Cooperation adopted in New York in September 2023.  Members share a commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, open, and cooperative Atlantic region, while protecting the ocean as a healthy, sustainable, and resilient resource for generations to come.  The Partnership welcomed several new members and now totals 38 coastal Atlantic countries from Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Caribbean.  For more information, please visit the Atlantic Cooperation website.  For media inquiries, contact OES-Press@state.gov. Tags Angola Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Maritime Matters Morocco Office of the Spokesperson Portugal Scientific and Technological Cooperation Spain New Visa Restriction Policy for Transportation Operators Facilitating Irregular Migration to the United States 02/21/2024 New Visa Restriction Policy for Transportation Operators Facilitating Irregular Migration to the United States 02/21/2024 09:35 AM EST Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson The State Department is today implementing a new visa restriction policy under Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Section 212(a)(3)(C) that targets owners, executives, and senior officials of charter flight, ground, and maritime transportation companies providing transportation services designed for use primarily by persons intending to migrate irregularly to the United States.  This new policy expands and supersedes the Nicaragua 3C policy on charter flights issued in November 2023. The policy targets transportation operations that prey on vulnerable migrants and facilitate irregular migration around the world and to the United States.  Those who come to the United States without a legal basis often pay extortion-level prices and put themselves and accompanying family members at risk, only to be placed into removal proceedings pursuant to U.S. immigration laws. No one should profit from vulnerable migrants—not smugglers, private companies, public officials, or governments.   We will continue engaging with governments and the private sector, both within and outside the region, to eliminate this exploitative practice. Reward Offers for Information on LockBit Leaders and Designating Affiliates 02/21/2024 Reward Offers for Information on LockBit Leaders and Designating Affiliates 02/21/2024 10:30 AM EST Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson The Department of State is announcing reward offers totaling up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of any individual participating in a LockBit ransomware variant attack and for information leading to the identification and/or location of any key leaders of the LockBit ransomware group.  Since January 2020, LockBit actors have executed over 2,000 attacks against victims in the United States, and around the world, causing costly disruptions to operations and the destruction or exfiltration of sensitive information.  More than $144 million in ransom payments have been made to recover from LockBit ransomware events. The reward offer complements announcements by the Department of Justice  and the Federal Bureau of Investigation  with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, along with other international partners, of a coordinated series of law enforcement actions that will disrupt the LockBit ransomware criminal organization. To further strengthen our fight against malicious cyber actors, the United States also designated two individuals involved in LockBit pursuant to Executive Order 13694 . We will continue to stand with our partners to disrupt ransomware actors that threaten our economies and critical infrastructure. For more information on this designation, please see Treasury’s press release . Please direct information in response to the reward offer to the FBI through email at fbisupp@fbi.gov, by Telegram at @LockBitRewards, and by Signal at +1-646-258-2533.  This reward is offered under the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally and bring fugitives to justice.   Under Secretary Jenkins Travels to New York, NY 02/21/2024 Under Secretary Jenkins Travels to New York, NY 02/21/2024 11:29 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Ambassador Bonnie D. Jenkins will travel to New York City, New York, on February 22, 2024, to participate in a panel discussion on extended deterrence at The Korea Society. Under Secretary Jenkins will also meet with interlocutors on issues of arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation. Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Brazilian President Lula da Silva 02/21/2024 Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Brazilian President Lula da Silva 02/21/2024 11:32 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva today in Brasilia, Brazil. Secretary Blinken expressed U.S. commitment to partner with Brazil on its G20 presidency agenda to combat hunger and poverty, mobilize against the climate crisis, and make global governance more effective.  Secretary Blinken highlighted the upcoming U.S.-Brazil bicentennial anniversary in May 2024 when our two countries will celebrate the benefits of 200 years of strong political, economic, and cultural ties. Secretary Blinken commended President Lula for Brazil’s role in de-escalating tensions between Guyana and Venezuela over the Essequibo region.  Secretary Blinken underscored our position that Nicolas Maduro must return to implementation of the Barbados electoral roadmap agreement to ensure competitive presidential elections in 2024. He also recognized Brazil’s long-standing support for the people of Haiti and reiterated the urgent need for international assistance to improve the security situation in Haiti. The Secretary discussed U.S. engagement on the conflict in Gaza, including working urgently with partners to facilitate the release of all hostages and to increase humanitarian assistance and improve protections for Palestinian civilians.  Secretary Blinken thanked President Lula for Brazil’s participation in Ukraine’s Peace Formula process. Secretary Blinken commended President Lula for defending workers’ rights through the U.S.-Brazil Partnership for Workers Rights.  He thanked President Lula for Brazil’s global leadership on climate, including Brazil’s pledge to end deforestation in the Amazon by 2030.  He noted the importance of strengthening cooperation on critical minerals with Brazil, including through the Minerals Security Partnership. The Secretary welcomed President Lula’s interest in deepening cooperation on clean energy and diversification of global supply chains as well as continued engagement on the U.S.-Brazil Joint Action Plan to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Promote Equality. United States Engagement with the G20 02/21/2024 United States Engagement with the G20 02/21/2024 12:02 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson Secretary Blinken will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting February 21-22 to deepen cooperation and tackle issues of global concern including food insecurity, climate change, global health, workers’ rights, and geopolitical instability.  The United States, together with our partners, is taking concrete actions to build a more prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive global economy that delivers good jobs, food, energy, and health security for all.  In addition to G20-related engagements, the Secretary will participate in a meeting of the foreign ministers of the G20 and invited partners to address the humanitarian crisis in Haiti and to rally support for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission. The G20: An Important Forum for International Economic Policy Coordination The United States strongly supports Brazil’s themes for this meeting on reducing geopolitical tensions and global governance reform. The G20 provides a platform for the United States to engage directly with the world’s largest advanced and emerging economies to promote U.S. interests and meet global geopolitical and socioeconomic challenges with other G20 members which account for more than 80 percent of global gross domestic product, three-quarters of global trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population. Secretary Blinken will engage with his counterparts from G20 members and invited partners. Reducing Geopolitical Tensions The Kremlin’s unprovoked war against Ukraine remains a standing affront to the UN Charter that Russia as a member of the UN Security Council should uphold. Russia’s war continues to remind us why we must defend the principles of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity embodied in the Charter. Russia’s war of aggression is also killing and wounding thousands, displacing millions, and exacerbating global food and energy insecurity. Russia’s actions are undermining the work the G20 is so diligently trying to advance. The United States is working every day to keep the Israel-Hamas conflict from spreading, while urging protection for civilians and increasing access to humanitarian aid. Houthi maritime attacks disrupt freedom of navigation and the flow of global trade, including food and humanitarian assistance to the region. The United States, with our allies and partners, mobilized over 40 countries to issue a statement condemning the attacks in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian. We will also highlight U.S. support for a Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission to Haiti and work to galvanize further international contributions. Reinforcing the United States Commitment to Food and Health Security at the G20 Feed the Future—the U.S. government’s flagship global food security program—works with partner countries to transform their food systems to be climate resilient, more equitable, and economically empowering. The United States is taking strong actions to build climate-smart, resilient food systems. That includes building a coalition and mobilizing resources to advance the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils. In support of that Vision, leaders across governments, industries, civil society, and communities are coming together to tackle the food security and climate crises by focusing collective attention and resources on the fundamentals of agriculture: climate-adapted crops and healthy, fertile soils. The United States remains focused on improving global health by accelerating investment in the health and well-being of communities across countries. We welcome the opportunity to work with our partners on collective efforts that are essential to meeting global Sustainable Development Goals, including catalyzing continued support for the Pandemic Fund. To address the public health and security threats posed by synthetic drugs, the United States launched the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats in 2023, which now includes over 144 participating countries and 12 international organizations. Supporting Global Governance Reforms The United States is committed to incorporating more geographically diverse perspectives in multilateral institutions and ensuring they are responsive to the needs of the full global community. The United States supports UN Security Council expansion, including support for new seats for countries from Africa and Latin America. We supported the African Union becoming a permanent member of the G20 and the new International Monetary Fund Executive Director seat for Sub-Saharan Africa. Our commitment to inclusion extends to the field of artificial intelligence. The G20 and our partners must also work together to seize the opportunities of AI to advance the sustainable development goals, and to ensure safe, secure, and trustworthy AI, driving a balanced approach where all countries can benefit from AI, while working together to manage the risks of technological disruption. The United States is working to advance a Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) Evolution for building bigger and better development banks that can lend more, provide more concessional financing, mobilize private capital, and make MDBs faster and more agile. Houthi Attacks on International Shipping 02/21/2024 Houthi Attacks on International Shipping 02/21/2024 04:09 PM EST Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson The United States condemns the reckless and indiscriminate attacks on civilian cargo ships by the Houthis. The Houthis are behaving like a terrorist organization – attacking civilians, civilian shipping, and innocent mariners, and they continue to detain the crew of the Galaxy Leader, consisting of 25 people from five different countries. This is piracy. The Houthis’ attacks are driving up prices and causing delivery delays in critical humanitarian items, such as food and medicine in places where it’s needed most. This is adversely affecting those in need of assistance around the world, including in Sudan, Ethiopia, and in Yemen itself. Many of the ships that the Houthis have attacked contained food, such as grain and corn, headed for those countries. And contrary to what the Houthis may attempt to claim, their attacks do nothing to help the Palestinians. Their actions are not bringing a single morsel of assistance or food to the Palestinian people. Time and time again, the Houthis continue to demonstrate disregard to the Yemeni people. On February 16, they attacked a civilian ship and disabled it, risking spillage of fertilizer and fuel into the sea and threatening Yemen’s fishing industry. On February 18 and 19, the Houthis attacked other civilian ships, including the Sea Champion, which was bringing corn and other food supplies to the Yemeni people in Aden and to Hudaydah. The United States has taken pains to ensure that our sanctions and other actions to impose costs on the Houthis do not restrict commercial shipments or humanitarian assistance to the people of Yemen. The Houthis actions, in contrast, are preventing the delivery of food and essential items on which the Yemeni people rely and making it difficult for humanitarians to do their essential work, endangering an already fragile humanitarian situation. The Houthis are alienating the world community and putting the peace process in Yemen – which parties, including the Houthis, have painstakingly negotiated over the last two years – in jeopardy. The United States has been very clear that we do not want conflict in the Red Sea. We and our partners will continue to take appropriate action, as needed, to protect freedom of navigation and commercial shipping from Houthi attacks in this critical international waterway and to safeguard vital economic and humanitarian assistance to countries in the region. Assistant Secretary Phee Engages on Sudan in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 02/21/2024 Assistant Secretary Phee Engages on Sudan in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 02/21/2024 04:45 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson During her recent travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in connection with the African Union Summit, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, accompanied by USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa Monde Muyangwa, Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Mike Hammer and Ambassador to Sudan John Godfrey, held a series of meetings focused on addressing Sudan’s continuing conflict and humanitarian crisis. Their engagements on Sudan focused on stopping the conflict, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and uplifting pro-democracy civilians working to advocate for the Sudanese people and prepare for post-conflict governance. Throughout the delegation’s meetings, Assistant Secretary Phee underscored that the United States has long stood with the Sudanese people and against military governance, and that ending the Sudan conflict and restoring civilian governance are high priorities for the United States. In a meeting with women civil society representatives from different groups and regions across Sudan, Assistant Secretary Phee stressed the importance of Sudanese women’s participation in political processes and a post-conflict civilian government. She also discussed the severe impact that the fighting has had on women and girls, who have increasingly been targets for conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and ways to ensure that perpetrators of CRSV and other atrocities are held accountable. Assistant Secretary Phee also had the opportunity to speak with leaders of grassroots organizations and Resistance Committee members. She commended these individuals’ courageous efforts to rally support for and provide support to those most affected by the conflict, including by expanding international community engagement with local actors working to provide humanitarian assistance. They discussed efforts to press Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leaders to end the fighting and facilitate humanitarian access to address the increasingly dire conditions on the ground. Assistant Secretary Phee also met with members of the Taqaddum pro-democracy front and encouraged its further diversification – focusing on women, youth, civil society and grassroots organizations, and representatives of historically marginalized communities – to enable Sudanese civilians to speak with a more unified voice in calling for facilitation of humanitarian assistance, ending the fighting, and returning governance to civilians after the conflict. Beyond her extensive engagements with Sudanese civilians, Assistant Secretary Phee also consulted in Addis Ababa with key stakeholders on multilateral efforts to end the conflict, facilitate humanitarian assistance, and support Sudanese civilians. Those included a meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, with whom she discussed the need for resumed ceasefire talks and coordination of regional initiatives, and discussions with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Kenya’s President William Ruto, Dibouti’s Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu and the Algeria Foreign Ministry’s Director General for African Affairs, Selma Haddadi. In addition, SEHOA Hammer had the opportunity to exchange views with counterparts from the European Union, Germany, Norway and the United Kingdom and, along with Ambassador Godfrey, was introduced to the African Union’s recently established High Level Panel on Sudan led by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas. Fourth Meeting of the Semiconductor Informal Exchange Network 02/21/2024 Fourth Meeting of the Semiconductor Informal Exchange Network 02/21/2024 04:52 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs held the fourth meeting of the Semiconductor Informal Exchange Network (SIEN) in Mexico City February 12-13. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Mexico’s Secretariat of the Economy collaborated with the State Department; SIEN’s work is supported by the State Department’s International Technology Security and Innovation Fund. More than 100 government officials representing approximately 25 economies discussed recent initiatives undertaken by both public and private sectors in their respective nations to expand the semiconductor supply chain. Industry experts and academic leaders also presented challenges and opportunities in the semiconductor sector. This meeting was opened by Raquel Buenrostro, Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, who emphasized the potential for Mexico to play a pivotal role in strengthening semiconductor supply chains. About SIEN: SIEN is a collaborative platform that enhances members’ comprehension of the global semiconductor ecosystem and supports the exchange of policies that create more resilient semiconductor supply chains. SIEN has also created a shared taxonomy of the semiconductor supply chain to address data fragmentation and provide analytical input to government’s policies and programs. In 2024, SIEN will conduct a tabletop exercise with participating economies to increase policymakers’ ability to address disruptions in the global semiconductor ecosystem. For further information, please contact eb-press-inquiry@state.gov or see the website: The U.S. Department of State International Technology Security and Innovation Fund. Department Press Briefing – February 21, 2024 02/21/2024 Department Press Briefing – February 21, 2024 02/21/2024 07:21 PM EST HomeDepartment Press Briefing – February 21, 2024 hide Department Press Briefing – February 21, 2024 February 21, 2024 1:24 p.m. EST MR MILLER: Good afternoon. QUESTION: Good afternoon. MR MILLER: I do not have any opening comments, so Matt — QUESTION: Oh, really? MR MILLER: — take it away. QUESTION: Nothing? You don’t have anything exciting and new to tell us today? MR MILLER: It depends on what your questions are. (Laughter.) QUESTION: Well, yeah, obviously. Hold on, let me start my recorder here. So I know a lot of people want to talk about Gaza, but I have something else that I just need to get off at the top. The Russia sanctions package that the White House, the President, Kirby, you, everyone has said is coming on Friday – what can you tell us about what that is? Is it related to the two-year anniversary? Is it related to Navalny’s death? What is it? What is it? MR MILLER: So I don’t want to speak in detail about announcements that will be coming two days from now, but the – excuse me, I’ve got a bit of a lingering cough from this cold I’ve had – the sanctions that we’ll be announcing on Friday will be in connection both to the two-year anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and to Navalny’s death. QUESTION: Okay. And Russia is one of – along with Iran and North Korea, is already one of the most heavily sanctioned countries by the United States and others on the planet. Where would you expect these sanctions to target? MR MILLER: I don’t want to preview too much of what we’re going to do on Friday, but it will be a robust sanctions package. We are always looking at additional ways that we can choke off the Russian war machine, that we can deny the Russian military industrial complex components that it needs to use to fund its war effort, as well as to hold accountable those involved in it. So without getting into too much detail, like – as I said, two days before the announcement, you should expect them to follow the general direction of our past sanctions as well as some sanctions specifically related to the death of Alexei Navalny. QUESTION: Right. But when you say that they’re going to – it’s going to be robust, I go back to a line from Spinal Tap, right: How much more robust can they be? MR MILLER: You — QUESTION: Aren’t they already pretty robust? MR MILLER: They — QUESTION: Didn’t you guys exact super-big sanctions on Russia after the Ukraine invasion? MR MILLER: They are incredibly robust and they’ve had an impact on Russia’s economy and Russia’s military industrial complex, but — QUESTION: Yeah, so the question is: How much more robust can they be? MR MILLER: Well, you will see on Friday, but I can guarantee you it’s – it is, as I said, a strong, robust package, partly because we are always – look, this is a dynamic situation, right. Russia watches the sanctions, sees the sanctions and tries to respond to the sanctions that we impose, and so we watch the actions that they take and we look to impose new sanctions either on individuals or new areas that they explore, and also to focus on sanctions evasion. When we see them or entities that deal with Russia trying to evade the sanctions that we previously put into place, we have ways to tighten those sanctions. QUESTION: Okay, last one. Does that suggest, then, that a bunch of the stuff in this package might be secondary sanctions? MR MILLER: I don’t want to make any comments about what they’ll look like, again, two days before we roll them out. QUESTION: Can I have a question on that? MR MILLER: So I’ll come – I’ll come to – oh, okay. Go ahead. She graciously yielded the floor. QUESTION: Yeah, apparently there’s a new intelligence assessment from Western governments suggesting that Putin thinks he eventually can win the war in Ukraine for three reasons: one, a possible return of Donald Trump to the White House; two, increased conscription; and three, a rejuvenated military manufacturing sector. Does State believe, on the record, that Putin does believe that these factors can help him win the war? Does this increase the need to provide funding for Ukraine if, in fact, there’s a belief that Putin may now have some leverage in this situation? MR MILLER: So I never want to discuss intelligence matters from here, real or imagined, but I think it should be obvious to everyone that Vladimir Putin is watching what happens in Washington closely. You have to assume that he is watching what happens in Congress. I think he has always assumed from the beginning of this conflict that he can wait out the West – that the West’s attention would flag, that the West’s interest would flag, that the West would be unwilling to maintain sanctions. And so far the West has proved them – proved him wrong, and I don’t just mean the United States but Europe as well, which took dramatic action early on to wean itself from Russian energy, something I think Putin never thought would happen. But I have to think that the entire world, including those in Moscow, are watching whether the United States Congress is willing to step up and continue to fund Ukraine to help it defend itself from Russia’s aggression. We have been very clear in the Biden administration what we think ought to happen. We have been very clear what is in the United States’ national security interests, and we will continue to make that case, and we hope that Congress will respond because, as I said, the entire world is watching. QUESTION: Does the U.S., though, actually believe that Putin now has the advantage given — MR MILLER: No, we do not believe that at all. If you look at the shape of this conflict over the past not just two years, but even the most recent history, yes, you have seen Russia make gains on the battlefield; we saw gains just over this week – this last weekend because Ukraine was not able to properly resupply its troops, in large part because Congress has not taken the action that we think it should to continue to support Ukraine as it fights to defend its territory. But you have also seen Ukraine make dramatic improvements on the battlefield, most significantly, I think, in the Black Sea where they have pushed the Russian fleet back, they have opened up a new shipping corridor that has allowed them to export not just wheat and grain, but also other manufactured goods through the Black Sea, something that was not possible in the early days of the war when Russia had blockaded Ukrainian ports. So we think they’ll continue to make progress there, and we’ll continue to support them to the best of our ability, but we need a partner in Congress to help us. QUESTION: Can I – can I follow up the there on North Korea and Ukraine? MR MILLER: Go ahead. QUESTION: Thank you. There are — MR MILLER: Humeyra’s just adding to the list of questions she gets to ask. (Laughter.) Go ahead; sorry. QUESTION: Yeah. There are reports that North Korean missiles that Russia recently used – excuse me – recently used against Ukraine contained U.S. and European components. How many times has Russia used North Koreans’ missiles against Ukraine? MR MILLER: So I’m not going to speak to that in detail. We will continue to use all of our relevant tools – export controls, sanctions, interdiction and law enforcement actions – to prevent the DPRK from acquiring sensitive items and technology that it can use in its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, and that includes preventing Russia from acquiring weapons and other sensitive items, including components from North Korea or from anywhere else. QUESTION: One more quick question. North Korea Kim Jong-un and Putin’s relative with the luxury cars. Russian President Putin gave Kim Jong-un a luxury car as a gift. Is this a violation of UN sanctions? MR MILLER: So I did see that report. I actually, frankly, didn’t know there was such a thing as a Russian luxury car. I hope Kim got the extended warranty. I would note that the — QUESTION: (Laughter.) He — MR MILLER: I just – look, when it comes to — QUESTION: Even if he didn’t, I bet he can still expect his cell phone – the spam cell phone calls — QUESTION: Yeah. QUESTION: — from the warranty department for the — MR MILLER: I bet that’s right. I’m not sure, if I were buying a luxury car, Russia would be the place I would look, even if it was – even if it wasn’t with respect to sanctions. But UN Security Council resolutions do require all UN member states to prohibit both the supply of transportation vehicles and the supply of luxury automobiles to the DPRK. And if this is true, it would appear to be once again Russia violating UN Security Council resolutions that it itself supported. Humeyra. QUESTION: Thank you. QUESTION: Thank you, Matt. I just want to ask you — MR MILLER: Excuse me. QUESTION: — a couple of comments that Benny Gantz just made about an hour ago. He basically – he said there were promising early signs of progress on a new deal for the hostages. I’m just wondering what’s the latest that you guys are hearing, and whether you’re picking up the same promising early signs of progress as well. MR MILLER: I don’t want to discuss those discussions, those negotiations in detail. And I don’t want to offer any assessments beyond what we have said previously, which is we do think that there is space to reach an agreement here. We are going to continue to stay engaged in this matter with everything that we can bring to bear on behalf of the United States to work with Israel, to work with Egypt, to work with Qatar, because we want to see the hostages released, we want to see a pause in the fighting. And so that’s what we’ll continue to pursue. QUESTION: Okay. He is also saying that if no new deal were struck, the Israeli military would keep fighting in Gaza even into the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. I’m just wondering if that would be something the United States would be supportive. MR MILLER: So I think I got a version of this question yesterday, and I don’t have anything new to add. We want to see a deal struck. So I’m not going to get into what might happen if we don’t get an agreement, but we want to see an agreement reached, and we want to see it reached as soon as possible. That would include, of course, before Ramadan. It could include – it could be even earlier than that. So that’s what we’re going to continue to pursue. QUESTION: Right. But I think you guys have made it a bit of a red line – I mean, if I guess one can call it that – the need for a humanitarian plan on top of, obviously, a military strategy before Israel goes into Rafah. So I think what I’m trying to get at is whether fighting continuing in Ramadan is really offensive – starting or continuing into Ramadan – whether that’s a similar red line or not. MR MILLER: I just don’t want to speak to where we’ll be in two weeks, because I think it’s impossible to say. We want to see a hostage agreement that secures a temporary ceasefire where we can get the hostages out and get humanitarian assistance in. Ultimately, we want to see a durable resolution to this conflict, and we want to see it as soon as possible. With respect to where we’ll be in two weeks, I just don’t want to speak beyond — QUESTION: Okay. I — MR MILLER: I don’t want to speak to that in detail. QUESTION: Okay. I have a few quick ones on UNRWA; I’ll be quick. MR MILLER: Take your time; you got interrupted a few times, so go ahead. QUESTION: Sorry. (Inaudible.) MR MILLER: Said attempting to interrupt you again. And now I interrupted you; sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead, Humeyra. QUESTION: Have you asked other UN agencies – like, your funding is stopped for now. And there is legislation that has not yet passed within supplemental that might bar you completely from resuming that funding. But that legislation is not on the House floor yet. So I guess I’m wondering what you guys are doing in the meantime. Have you asked other UN agencies to pick up the slack? And exactly what did you ask them to do? Like, are there UNRWA workers on the ground right now working for – actually working for other UN agencies who are doing the distribution of aid? MR MILLER: We have been in conversations both with the United Nations and with other countries around the world about how to make sure that the important work that UNRWA does is not interrupted. We want to ensure that humanitarian assistance continues to flow to the Palestinian people. Right now, UNRWA is the key facilitator of humanitarian assistance in Gaza, and we don’t want to see that humanitarian assistance disrupted in any way. At the same time, we are obviously cognizant of the draft legislation and the provision that it contains. It’s not law, as you said, but we have to plan for all possibilities, including the possibility that it becomes law. So we’re looking at all the options that may be available to us. But I don’t want to discuss that in detail; it’s internal planning that continues to go on inside the government. QUESTION: All right. The final thing is there is the reporting in Devex which says that you have actually asked other UN relief agencies to pick up slack. But Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have urged the heads of those agencies to basically rebuff your plea. I mean, is this something you can confirm or — MR MILLER: I’m just not – I’m not going to confirm that report at all. Sorry. QUESTION: Can I just very briefly follow-up on (inaudible) — MR MILLER: Yeah. QUESTION: I’m guessing you may not have a lot to say about this, but following up with Humeyra’s question, Brett McGurk, of course, is in the region. I know he works in a different building. But do you have any – MR MILLER: Correct. (Laughter.) QUESTION: But do you have anything you could say more generally about what he’s – about the tone of what he’s doing or what — MR MILLER: No. I will leave it to the White House to speak in detail to Brett’s work and what he’s trying to accomplish on the trip. But I think, look, you know – you have seen from the administration broadly what our goals are with respect to the conflict right now. Our immediate goal is to try to achieve a deal that brings about a ceasefire in the fighting. A temporary ceasefire in the fighting allows us get hostages out and allows us to get humanitarian assistance in and kind of would help with some of the bottlenecks that have begun to pop up inside Gaza, to preventing humanitarian assistance actually getting out to the people that need it because there’s fighting on the ground and looting and other obstacles. So we are trying to achieve all those things, and that, of course, is Brett McGurk. It’s the Secretary. It’s the President himself. They’re focused on that issue. Said, go ahead. QUESTION: And I thank you. To follow up on Humeyra’s fair point and – MR MILLER: Thank you for being sort of patient. QUESTION: Sorry? MR MILLER: Thank you for being somewhat patient. QUESTION: Oh, no, no. I did not mean to interrupt her. MR MILLER: That’s fine. It’s fine. QUESTION: So apologies if that was perceived as such — MR MILLER: I feel like a schoolmarm up here, scolding – I feel like a schoolmarm, scolding people unnecessarily. QUESTION: That’s right. Anyway, just to follow up on Humeyra’s — QUESTION: A schoolmarm? MR MILLER: Yeah, I don’t know. Is that the – that’s — QUESTION: Yeah, wow. Texas coming out (inaudible). MR MILLER: A little bit of an archaic – a little bit of an archaic term, yeah. QUESTION: All right. Okay. So just to follow up on her point, you’ve said that you’re hoping that a deal will be struck. What if it doesn’t get struck? I mean, we have been there before. They were – these artificial deadlines and calendars and a week here, and the end of October, then the end of November, then December, the end of the year, and all these things – I mean, to be honest, the Palestinians and Israelis fought in Ramadan many, many times, and they were struck. So what if a deal is not struck? What is your vision on how this thing will end? MR MILLER: So I’m not going to deal with a hypothetical, as I think you know. I will tell you, though, I think it’s a fair question about where we want to see this conflict go. In the short term, we want to see, as I said in response to several other questions, a temporary ceasefire that allows us to get the hostages out, bring more – bring more humanitarian assistance in. But we have also been very clear, and if you’ve looked at the Secretary’s many public comments on this, he’s been not just clear but quite detailed in what we want to see in the long term. And what we want to see in the long term is a durable agreement that allows – that brings about peace and security for both Israel and Palestinians through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with real security guarantees for Israel, Israel further integrated into the region. That is our long-term vision, and that is what the Secretary has been focused on through his diplomatic engagements in the region, and what it – it is what we will continue to pursue. Now, the first step in that is getting an agreement to get the hostages out while we work on this longer-term plan for the region. QUESTION: Well, I’m sorry (inaudible) point. But in the meantime, people can’t get food. I mean, kids, children, 5-year-olds, my grandson’s age, and so on. So, I mean, they’re not getting – they’re asking for bread, for crying out loud. They’re standing in line asking for bread, and bread is not getting in. So what are you – I mean, you keep saying about things that – the need for things to go in. But it’s not going in, Matt. MR MILLER: So the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to be extremely difficult, dire for many people, which is why we continue to focus all the efforts of the United States to improve that situation. When it comes to bread, the United States has funded flour that would feed 1.5 Palestinians for five months. QUESTION: No, no, no. A lot more than 1.5. MR MILLER: One point five million Palestinians for five months. Thank you – thank — QUESTION: If it was only 1.5 Palestinians, that would – that would be — MR MILLER: Right. Fair. Obviously a misspeak. One point five million Palestinians for five months. We have worked to not just fund humanitarian assistance but get it into Gaza, and continue to stay engaged on that every day, not just on the big picture issues but on very minor logistical issues that have a big impact, things that seem minor but that have a big impact in getting – in getting in. Is enough food and water and other humanitarian assistance getting in? Absolutely not, which is why we continue to stay engaged, to improve the situation every day. QUESTION: You talk about the Palestinian state, although we’ve heard statements that are really emphatic by the prime minister of Israel saying, no – under no circumstances whatsoever, and so on. I just want to read you what a member of his cabinet – from the Likud, as a matter of fact – May Golan of the group during a Knesset hearing about the motion to expel MK Ofer Cassif. She said, quote, “I am personally proud of the ruins of Gaza and that every baby, even 80 years from now, will tell their grandchildren what the Jews did,” unquote. I mean, this is the kind – I mean, this is not someone extremist. It’s not Smotrich. It’s not Ben-Gvir. This is in the prime minister’s – Benjamin Netanyahu’s party. MR MILLER: Said, I would encourage you to take a close look at the comments the Secretary made in Tel Aviv at a press conference two weeks ago where he talked specifically about the effects of dehumanizing language and why it’s important that no one on either side of this conflict dehumanize anyone else. That will continue to be our position. It will continue to be what we pursue because as the Secretary has spoken, we care about the lives not just of Israelis but of Palestinians – Palestinian men and women and children – and we grieve for all of those who have been killed, all of those who have been injured, and it’s what animates our work to try to bring a durable end to this conflict. QUESTION: Does that go for Congressman Ogles as well? MR MILLER: I’m sorry. What? QUESTION: Does that go for Congressman Ogles as well? MR MILLER: I don’t know what your comment you’re referring to. QUESTION: He made – he made a comment in response to a protestor up on the Hill about the deaths of Palestinian children, and I’m slightly paraphrasing, but “ should kill all of them.” MR MILLER: So I haven’t seen his comments. It’s the first I’ve heard of them. And with a slight paraphrase, I’m reluctant to – without seeing the comment, reluctant to react. And we typically don’t respond to comments made on the Hill, but obviously we would urge anyone – whether in the United States or abroad – to avoid dehumanizing language and dehumanizing sentiments. QUESTION: Matthew, the majority of the Israeli Knesset has voted today against the unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood. How do you feel this step? MR MILLER: So I again will only continue to speak for the United States and what we are trying to pursue, and we are trying to pursue the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. We are focusing our diplomatic efforts on that, not just because we think – and again, you’ve heard the Secretary speak to this a number of times – not just because we think it’s in the interests of the Palestinian people but because we think it is in Israel’s short, medium, and long-term security interest as well. QUESTION: But if the government and the Knesset in Israel don’t want the establishment of a Palestinian state — MR MILLER: You – so, again, you have heard the Secretary speak to this, that what we will do is continue to lay out what we think the best choice for the Government of Israel to make and the best choice for the Israeli people to make. Ultimately, Israel will have to make its own decisions, as every sovereign country does. We will present to them the ideas and plans that we are developing with our partners in the region, the commitments that other countries are willing to make to Israel’s security. And every country will have to make its decisions about its – how it’s going to proceed. MR MILLER: I don’t have any further readout of the meeting other than what we already offered publicly. Alex, go ahead. QUESTION: Thank you, Matt. And a few questions here; please bear with me. Going back to your line of questioning with Matt on the sanctions, the EU today came up with its – agreed on its 13th packet of sanctions with some 2,000 listings in total. Could it be a template for you on Friday? MR MILLER: I would want to just say: Everyone, just wait for two days and you’ll see all the sanctions that we’re going to impose. Obviously, we work closely with the EU and countries around the world on the – on various sanctions packages, and we’re glad to see the EU take its – the steps that it did. But you should just watch and look at our sanctions when we roll them out on Friday. QUESTION: And my colleague made a point about North Korea. Early in January, you guys announced the provision of ballistic missiles from North Korea to Russia. Several weeks passed; neither Russia nor North Korea have faced any consequences. Why? Is it going to be addressed during this next package? MR MILLER: Again, I have said everything I’m going to say about a sanctions rollout that is not happening for another two days. I would encourage you to check back on Friday to see — QUESTION: That would be nothing. QUESTION: Okay. MR MILLER: I said a little bit. I gave a little more than nothing, but we’ve got two days to go. QUESTION: Fair enough. Fair enough. Any update for us on the latest U.S. citizen arrested in Russia and access to her? MR MILLER: No, I have no further updates. We continue to seek consular access; it’s not yet been granted. QUESTION: I want to go back – if I may, going back to Munich last week, the Secretary met with Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders. Does he still believe that the peace is within reach? I’m just borrowing the vocabulary he used last year at this time. MR MILLER: He still does believe that peace is within reach, and he discussed that with the leader of both – directly with the leaders of both of those countries, and encouraged them to work together to bridge the – what ultimately are just a remaining few issues. And we will continue to encourage those countries to reach a peace agreement. I know that the two leaders met bilaterally in Munich, and so we will continue to offer the assistance and the support of the United States in reaching agreement. QUESTION: He also reminded – my last one, I promise – he also reminded Aliyev of his obligations on human rights, according to your readout. Just day before that meeting occurred, the Secretary was addressed on the Hill – so 21 congressmembers called him out, telling him that – to – asked him to prioritize the cares of Gubad Ibadoghlu and his well-being. Did the Secretary have a chance to go through the cases, including Mr. Ibadoghlu? MR MILLER: Yeah, go ahead. QUESTION: Thanks, Matt. MR MILLER: Yeah. QUESTION: Two questions on Iran. The country’s national virtual space center has banned the use of VPNs, and it has been also endorsed by the supreme leader. I was wondering if the Iranian people should be worried about having access to information to the outside world or as, in the past, during the demonstrations the U.S. was going to – is going to step in? QUESTION: Could I ask a few different issues around the world? MR MILLER: So this decision is just the latest reminder of how much the Iranian regime fears its people and what they are capable of when they are giving – given unfettered access to the internet and unfettered access to information. The internet disruptions that the Iranian regime has put in place in the past have cost the economy billions of dollars. It caused pain to businesses as well as, of course, choking off information that people need to make decisions about their lives and decisions about their futures. Support for internet freedom in Iran will continue to be a central pillar of our efforts to support human rights in the country. As you’ve said, in the past in the height of the protests in 2022 and 2023, as many as one in three Iranians used U.S.-supported anti-censorship and digital security tools such as VPNs. There are millions of Iranians that have continued to use those tools to this day, so I’m not going to speak to what actions we will take in the future, but as I said, upholding internet freedom and ensuring Iranians – Iranians – citizens’ access to the internet will continue to be a central pillar of our engagement in that country. QUESTION: Thank you. Also, Abram Paley, special envoy for Iran, is or was in Vienna. He met with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the nature of this visit given that Grossi has spoken out a lot recently about his concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. MR MILLER: Sure. So Deputy Special Envoy Paley was in Vienna to meet with Director Grossi. He reiterated the United States appreciation for the IAEA’s extensive efforts to engage Iran on longstanding questions related to Iran’s safeguards obligations. Iran’s cooperation remains severely lacking. We remain seriously considered about Iran’s continued expansion of its nuclear program in ways that have no credible civilian purpose, including its continued production of highly enriched uranium, and that was the focus of the discussions today. QUESTION: Any discussions, any solution to gaining access to Iran’s nuclear program by the IAEA? MR MILLER: I don’t want to give any further comments about that meeting other than to say that they did discuss how Iran should fully uphold its safeguards obligations and provide full cooperation to the IAEA without further delay. QUESTION: Thank you. MR MILLER: Yeah. QUESTION: Senegal – I know the Secretary spoke not so long ago with President Sall about the election. The – there was a court decision calling for a new date but it hasn’t been set yet. Do you have any update on U.S. engagement there and the U.S. stance about what’s happening now? MR MILLER: So we continue to stay engaged with the government in Senegal. I don’t have any specific engagements to read out, but as – we have been – stayed in close coordination with them, and I’ll just say that we want to see the election take place as soon as is practical – practicable. QUESTION: Sure. Elsewhere in Africa, there was an agreement signed today between Somalia and Türkiye on a naval upgrade or a coastal upgrade. It’s obviously a bilateral, but this is in the context of Ethiopia and Somaliland having a pact. Does the U.S. have any stance on Türkiye’s involvement here? MR MILLER: Let me take that one back and get an – get you an answer on it. QUESTION: Sure. And one other thing: Pakistan. MR MILLER: Yeah. QUESTION: I know you’ve been saying in recent weeks that it’s – you’re not going to comment till a government is formed, but there’s a coalition that actually has – is being formed between two of the major factions without Imran Khan’s enforcement. Is there an idea that this is a representative government? How does the U.S. feel about this? MR MILLER: Again, I don’t want to comment on the government before it’s formed. Ultimately, as is the case whenever you see coalition politics taking place inside any given country, that’s – it’s a decision for that country itself, not something that we would weigh in on. QUESTION: Sure, sure. And in terms – I know in the past you’ve talked about allegations of fraud, of rigging. Is there any follow-up on that? Is the U.S. looking for anything in particular before a government comes in? MR MILLER: We want to see a full investigation into any claims of irregularities. QUESTION: Okay. And just finally, yesterday I asked about the disruptions on social media in Pakistan. Is there anything further on that, whether it was (inaudible) communication? MR MILLER: So we are concerned by any report of restrictions on the exercise of the freedom of expression and association in Pakistan, including the partial or complete government-imposed internet shutdowns, which includes, of course, on social media platforms. We continue to call on Pakistan to respect freedom of expression and restore access to any social media that has been restricted, including Twitter, I think now known as X. We have and will continue to emphasize the importance of respecting these fundamental freedoms during our engagements with Pakistani officials. QUESTION: Sure. And just finally, that’s – has that been communicated through official channels or — MR MILLER: It has been, yeah. QUESTION: Follow-up on Pakistan? MR MILLER: Go ahead. Right here. QUESTION: The Foreign Policy magazine, in a recent report titled “The Taliban Wants a Piece of Pakistan,” reveals that Taliban engaging to border tension with Pakistan through their supporting TTP. While the Taliban publicly refuse the — MR MILLER: I’m sorry, what was the – what would – what was the – just didn’t hear the last – the beginning of the last sentence. QUESTION: Oh, sorry. It’s about a Foreign Policy report that they titled “The Taliban Wants a Piece of Pakistan.” MR MILLER: Right. QUESTION: And while the Taliban publicly refuse the Durand Line as the official border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, what’s the position of United State about Durand Line? MR MILLER: We support the territorial integrity of both Afghanistan and Pakistan within their internationally recognized borders. QUESTION: Follow-up — QUESTION: Another question about Afghan Adjustment Act that was not passed by the Congress recently. While there are some reports that United State Department of State is going run out of the SIV P-1 and P-2 quotas, do you confirm this report? And what are you doing about SIV and Afghan Adjustment Act (inaudible)? MR MILLER: So as the President has said, we urge Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act. We support it and want to see it passed. When it comes to Special Immigrant Visas, I would just note that in the last fiscal year, 2023, the government issued more than 18,000 Special Immigrant Visas to Afghan applicants outside the U.S. That was the most in any single year. So go ahead. We’ll work down — QUESTION: On Pakistan, thank you. Pakistan Ambassador Masood Khan here in D.C. yesterday said that Pakistan is pleading with the Congress, with the U.S. Congress, to help restore the U.S. military aid that was suspended in 2018 by the Trump administration. Is the U.S. considering restoring the program given that Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally in the region? MR MILLER: I just don’t have any comment on that. Go ahead. QUESTION: Thank you, Matt. A question on the Kurdistan Region parliamentary election, which was expected to be held in October 2022, but due to the disputes, political status, they delayed. And last year, the Iraqi top court ruled against the self-extension of that parliament, which the region has no parliament now. And today the Iraqi top court ruled against the Christian regional parliament minority seats. Any reaction and comment on that? And have you ever engaged with Erbil and Baghdad on that issue? MR MILLER: So we have seen the reports that the court issued rulings today related to the Iraqi Kurdistan parliament elections and other issues concerning relations between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi federal government. We are still reviewing the full scope of the decision. As a matter of longstanding U.S. policy, we support holding parliamentary elections in the Iraqi Kurdistan region at the earliest opportunity. And as we do everywhere, we encourage those elections to be free, fair, and transparent. QUESTION: And one more question on Iraq. We know the situation in Iraq has been cooled down and the militia groups is not attacking you as they did before. And today the U.S. ambassador met with the Iraqi prime minister, and they discussed the upcoming visit of the Iraqi prime minister — MR MILLER: The discussed what? QUESTION: The upcoming visit of the Iraqi prime minister to Washington. So my question is that are you done with the response to those groups who were responsible for killing three U.S. service members and injuring 40 others? MR MILLER: I am not going to preview or rule out any potential steps from this podium. QUESTION: So what’s your general assessment about the current situation? Do you think that these groups are taking their words when they say that we are not going to attack the U.S. forces? QUESTION: And how the United States analyze those comments in a moment that there is an effort to de-escalate tensions in the region? MR MILLER: I don’t want to offer any assessment or speak for any of these groups. I will say on behalf of the United States we have made very clear, not just with our words but with our actions, that we are prepared to defend U.S. forces and U.S. interests in Iraq and in the region. And we are prepared to hold accountable anyone who attacks U.S. forces, and I think I’ll leave it at that. Go ahead. QUESTION: Thanks. Barbara Miller, ABC Australia. The Australian parliament recently passed a motion calling for the Assange matter to be brought to a close and for him to be allowed to return home. What’s your response to that motion? MR MILLER: So I spoke about Julian Assange extensively from this podium yesterday, and I don’t think I have anything to add on to that matter. It is an ongoing legal matter and an extradition matter, and beyond what I said yesterday I think I don’t want to comment in any more detail. Go ahead. Yeah. QUESTION: Good afternoon, Matthew. Good to see you. Two questions – one on Ukraine, one on Haiti. On Ukraine, the Knights of Columbus – they’re an organization that has provided millions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, helping people there during this very terrible time. How would you describe the impact of groups like the Knights of Columbus? MR MILLER: So look, we support any organization that wants to deliver aid to people in Ukraine or anywhere in the world who are in need of it. QUESTION: And then on Haiti, where of course we all know there’s been terrible violence. Catholic – the other day Catholic Bishop Pierre-André Dumas was hurt in an explosion at a house. He is in stable condition, reportedly. Recently, six Haitian religious sisters were recently abducted and then released. What’s the State Department’s reaction to those incidents? MR MILLER: So I will just say generally we continue to be very concerned about the ongoing violence in Haiti. And it’s why we continue to focus on the launch of a multinational security force to help with the situation on the ground in Haiti, and that Secretary Blinken will in fact be engaging with counterparts at the G20 about the deployment of such a mission today and tomorrow while he’s in Brazil. QUESTION: Can I just very briefly follow up? MR MILLER: Yeah. QUESTION: Do you have anything to say About the indictments over Jovenel’s killing – on Jovenel’s killing in Haiti? MR MILLER: I do not. I do not. Go ahead, back – yeah. Yeah, go ahead. QUESTION: Thank you. Thank you so much. On U.S. and Brazil, what is the evaluation of the meeting this morning in Brasília between Secretary Blinken and President Lula? MR MILLER: So we put out a readout about that meeting, and I will say that they discussed a number of issues, including the work through the G20 to help alleviate poverty and combat climate change. They talked about regional issues, including the work that Brazil has done to try and de-escalate tensions between Venezuela and Guyana; talked about Brazil’s support for democracy in South America, including in Venezuela; and then they talked about bilateral issues between the United States and Brazil, as well as issues around the world such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas. QUESTION: Just a follow-up. Yesterday on this podium it was sad that the United States does not agree with what President Lula said last weekend on Gaza. But from your perspective, are those comments a matter of public retraction, as the Israeli foreign minister suggested? MR MILLER: So — MR MILLER: So they are comments with which we disagree. As I made clear today, the Secretary had a chance to discuss the comments with President Lula today in his meeting, in the context of an overall discussion about the conflict in Gaza, and made clear – as I did yesterday, made clear that those are comments with which we disagree. QUESTION: And the G20, is it possible to highlight the priorities from the U.S., the summit of ministers – summit that is happening — MR MILLER: Well, as I said, you – and you will see comments from the Secretary – he’s going to have a press conference tomorrow before he leaves the G20. So I don’t want to get too – I don’t want to get ahead too far of his comments. But we will be focused on fighting poverty, addressing climate changes, and other issues that President Lula has put on the agenda for this meeting of the G20. QUESTION: A follow-up? MR MILLER: Go ahead. QUESTION: Thanks, Matthew. A few questions. When will the draft U.S. resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire be put forth before and voted on by the Security Council? MR MILLER: I don’t want to put a timetable on it. It’s something that we continue to discuss with partners on the council. QUESTION: And the administration supports Israel’s goal to annihilate Hamas, yet the support does not seem unconditional, as the administration opposes any further Israeli military operation in Rafah. How do you square the two? If Israel’s goal of annihilating Hamas requires going into Rafah, why would that not be supported by the U.S.? MR MILLER: We support Israel’s goal to defeat Hamas and to ensure that the terrorist attacks of October 7th can never be repeated, but we have always said that it needs to – the campaign that Israel is carrying out needs to be carried out in a way that puts civilian protections first. And so we don’t see any tension between those two, and that’s why we have said that before Israel conducts a full-scale military campaign against the Hamas battalions that remain in Rafah, that it needs to have that kind of civilian protection plan. QUESTION: And finally, does the State Department have any reaction to the rise in cyber operations by China? Has the administration taken any actions to hold the CCP accountable for targeting the U.S. infrastructure with malware recently? MR MILLER: We have long made clear that we oppose any cyber actions in that – of that regard by both the PRC and others, and if you look, there is a long history of us taking action to impose consequences when we see them. Go ahead. QUESTION: Thank you. MR MILLER: Yeah, go ahead, Shannon. QUESTION: Thank you. MR MILLER: Then I think we’ll wrap there. QUESTION: As Russia’s treatment of dual citizens has become a more visible problem, has the State Department taken any steps to push Russia to change its policy and allow regular consular access to American dual citizens beyond just asking for access to those already in detention in Moscow? MR MILLER: Oh, we have pressed it at a number of levels. Both – you’ve seen the Secretary raise this in direct conversations in the past – not – have a lot of regular engagements with the Russian Government now, but our embassy continues to raise it on a regular basis. The unfortunate truth, though, is that Russia continues to detain its own citizens and continues to detain American citizens, and it’s why we have tried to make clear as – just as plainly as we possibly can that no American citizen should consider traveling to Russia for any reason, period, because they are at risk of detention, imprisonment by the Russian regime. So we will continue to work to try to get consular access to Americans that have been detained. We will continue to try to work to free those American citizens who we have determined to be wrongfully detained. And we will continue to call on humane treatment for everyone, but I think people need to remember the kind of brutal regime that we’re dealing with that’s willing to inflict brutality on its own citizens and willing to inflict brutality on citizens of other countries. And if you are considering travel to Russia for any reason, do not do it. I don’t think we can say that any more clearly. QUESTION: Wait — QUESTION: On the State Department – sorry, quick follow-up — MR MILLER: Yeah, go — QUESTION: They shouldn’t even consider traveling to – they shouldn’t think about it? MR MILLER: Think about it and make a very quick decision not to do it. QUESTION: But in that Travel Advisory, the State Department’s language says that Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals’ U.S. citizenship. Are you aware of any case where Russia actually has acknowledged U.S. citizenship (inaudible)? MR MILLER: I’d have to look back through history. I’m not aware of any recent case where they have, no. QUESTION: Thank you. MR MILLER: And so — QUESTION: I just have one more, and this goes back to something that was raised yesterday about the UN expert – panel of experts on the sexual – alleged sexual assault of Palestinians. You said that you were looking for independent confirmation or an investigation into that. Has that gone anywhere? Okay, thanks. QUESTION: Can I ask you about (inaudible)? MR MILLER: That’s it for today. Thanks, everyone. QUESTION: Thank you. (The briefing was concluded at 2:05 p.m.) Tags Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Brazil China Haiti Iran Iraq Israel North Korea Office of the Spokesperson Pakistan Palestinian Territories Russia Senegal Somalia Turkey Ukraine Japan’s National Day 02/22/2024 Japan’s National Day 02/22/2024 05:00 AM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State On behalf of the government of the United States and the American people, I extend my congratulations to the people of Japan on the occasion of His Majesty the Emperor’s 64th birthday. The people of Japan have no greater friend than America. Our steadfast alliance, now also in its 64th year, continues to serve as the cornerstone of peace and security in the region and, increasingly, around the world. Anchored by our shared values and shared vision, and sustained through strong people-to-people ties, there is little we cannot achieve as we stand together, shoulder-to-shoulder. May the Reiwa Era continue to bring health and prosperity to the people of Japan. Japan’s National Day 02/22/2024 Japan’s National Day 02/22/2024 05:00 AM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State On behalf of the government of the United States and the American people, I extend my congratulations to the people of Japan on the occasion of His Majesty the Emperor’s 64th birthday. The people of Japan have no greater friend than America. Our steadfast alliance, now also in its 64th year, continues to serve as the cornerstone of peace and security in the region and, increasingly, around the world. Anchored by our shared values and shared vision, and sustained through strong people-to-people ties, there is little we cannot achieve as we stand together, shoulder-to-shoulder. May the Reiwa Era continue to bring health and prosperity to the people of Japan. United States Welcomes the Kyrgyz Republic’s Continued Repatriation of its Nationals 02/22/2024 United States Welcomes the Kyrgyz Republic’s Continued Repatriation of its Nationals 02/22/2024 09:42 AM EST Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson The Kyrgyz Republic repatriated 99 women and children from the al-Hol and Roj displaced persons camps in northeast Syria Monday, bringing its total repatriations from northeast Syria over the past year to 423 and furthering its dedication to both its nationals and international security.  The Kyrgyz Republic’s efforts are an example to other countries that have yet to repatriate their nationals from the region. Approximately 30,000 individuals from more than 60 countries outside Syria remain in the al-Hol and Roj camps, most of whom are children under the age of 12.  Increasing the number and pace of repatriations is critical to resolving the intertwined security and humanitarian challenges in al-Hol and al-Roj displaced persons camps and ensuring the continued defeat of ISIS.  The United States stands ready to assist countries in their effort to repatriate their nationals. In addition to the Kyrgyz Republic’s partnership, we are grateful to the Government of Kuwait for its continuing support of repatriations from northeast Syria.  We are likewise grateful to our local partner, the Syrian Democratic Forces, for facilitating this operation and we look forward to its continuing assistance in returning displaced persons at the al-Hol and Roj camps to their countries of origin. Saint Lucia National Day 02/22/2024 Saint Lucia National Day 02/22/2024 12:02 AM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State On behalf of the United States of America, I extend my congratulations to the people of Saint Lucia on the 45th anniversary of your independence. The United States enjoys a deep and long-lasting partnership with Saint Lucia. Together we work to combat the impact of climate change and improve energy and food security for Saint Lucia and the region through the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030). We are also helping to address the problems of crime and violence in the region through our joint activities under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative to provide a safer and more secure environment for our people and families. The United States wishes you joyful and peaceful celebrations as you honor your independence day, and best wishes for a happy and prosperous year ahead. Saint Lucia National Day 02/22/2024 Saint Lucia National Day 02/22/2024 12:02 AM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State On behalf of the United States of America, I extend my congratulations to the people of Saint Lucia on the 45th anniversary of your independence. The United States enjoys a deep and long-lasting partnership with Saint Lucia. Together we work to combat the impact of climate change and improve energy and food security for Saint Lucia and the region through the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030). We are also helping to address the problems of crime and violence in the region through our joint activities under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative to provide a safer and more secure environment for our people and families. The United States wishes you joyful and peaceful celebrations as you honor your independence day, and best wishes for a happy and prosperous year ahead. Deputy Secretary Verma’s Meetings with the Government of India in New Delhi, India 02/22/2024 Deputy Secretary Verma’s Meetings with the Government of India in New Delhi, India 02/22/2024 12:29 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The following is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: From February 19 to 21, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma met with senior Indian officials in New Delhi to advance the U.S.-Indian global strategic partnership.  His meetings with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Defense Secretary Giridhar Aramane, and Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri explored opportunities to strengthen U.S.-India cooperation and people-to-people ties to ensure a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.  The Deputy Secretary also met with Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to discuss further expanding trade and economic ties between the United States and India.  The Deputy Secretary and Indian officials further emphasized the benefits of close partnership on addressing global security challenges. Secretary Antony J. Blinken Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul Before Their Meeting 02/22/2024 Secretary Antony J. Blinken Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul Before Their Meeting 02/22/2024 01:14 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Rio de Janeiro, Brazil JW Marriott Hotel SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Well, good afternoon, everyone.  Yoko, Tae-yul, welcome.  So good to be with you, with your teams.  Since the Camp David meeting in August with President Biden, President Yoon, and Prime Minister Kishida, our teams have been hard at work – hard at work on trying to realize the vision that our leaders put forward at Camp David.  And that is grounded in our trilateral cooperation. And since that time, we’ve advanced key commitments, including finalizing our trilateral missile data-sharing mechanism and a long-term military exercise plan; holding the first trilateral Indo-Pacific Dialogue; strengthening development cooperation in the Indo-Pacific; and launching cutting-edge collaboration in key technologies, including quantum computing. We’ve also upheld commitments to consult with each other, to do so expeditiously, and to coordinate responses when we have a shared security challenge.  With growing regional challenges, including the DPRK’s provocative actions and military cooperation with Russia, and increasingly assertive actions by the PRC, cooperation and coordination with our closest allies is more important than ever. So I look forward to our discussions today – these urgent challenges – but also the many other areas where our three countries are working together in positive and productive ways for the benefit of people in all – in Korea, in Japan, and in the United States, but also the region and beyond. So thank you all for being here.   And if I can, let me turn it over, Yoko, to you. FOREIGN MINISTER KAMIKAWA:  Thank you very much.  It is my great pleasure to – I’m sorry.  It is my great pleasure to have the first trilateral meeting with Minister Cho here.  I welcome the deepened and expanded ties among our three countries, the advancement of our cooperation in various areas during the past six months since this historic summit at Camp David. Looking at the global landscape, the free and open international order, based on the rule of law, is now being challenged.  It is already two years since Russia’s aggression against Ukraine started.  Our strategic coordination is more important than ever, and I am eager to work even more closely with both of you in dealing with North Korea and beyond. Thank you very much. FOREIGN MINISTER CHO:  Thank you, Tony.  I’m very delighted to be participating in my first trilateral meeting today.  It is my great pleasure for me to meet with you in person, Tony and Yoko, so this meeting is very meaningful in many ways. First, it is the first trilateral meeting of the year.  The start of the year is always a fitting time to take stock of what we have accomplished together and discuss priorities for the months ahead. Second, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the first-ever trilateral summit held in 1994.  This gathering therefore represents a symbolic milestone in our journey together. Third, this is our first-ever trilateral foreign minister meeting to be held in South America.  I think it is emblematic of our global outreach and our commitment to meet whenever and wherever we can. I look forward to fruitful and meaningful discussions, further strengthening our bilateral relationship.  Thank you. Secretary Antony J. Blinken Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul Before Their Meeting 02/22/2024 Secretary Antony J. Blinken Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul Before Their Meeting 02/22/2024 01:14 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Rio de Janeiro, Brazil JW Marriott Hotel SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Well, good afternoon, everyone.  Yoko, Tae-yul, welcome.  So good to be with you, with your teams.  Since the Camp David meeting in August with President Biden, President Yoon, and Prime Minister Kishida, our teams have been hard at work – hard at work on trying to realize the vision that our leaders put forward at Camp David.  And that is grounded in our trilateral cooperation. And since that time, we’ve advanced key commitments, including finalizing our trilateral missile data-sharing mechanism and a long-term military exercise plan; holding the first trilateral Indo-Pacific Dialogue; strengthening development cooperation in the Indo-Pacific; and launching cutting-edge collaboration in key technologies, including quantum computing. We’ve also upheld commitments to consult with each other, to do so expeditiously, and to coordinate responses when we have a shared security challenge.  With growing regional challenges, including the DPRK’s provocative actions and military cooperation with Russia, and increasingly assertive actions by the PRC, cooperation and coordination with our closest allies is more important than ever. So I look forward to our discussions today – these urgent challenges – but also the many other areas where our three countries are working together in positive and productive ways for the benefit of people in all – in Korea, in Japan, and in the United States, but also the region and beyond. So thank you all for being here.   And if I can, let me turn it over, Yoko, to you. FOREIGN MINISTER KAMIKAWA:  Thank you very much.  It is my great pleasure to – I’m sorry.  It is my great pleasure to have the first trilateral meeting with Minister Cho here.  I welcome the deepened and expanded ties among our three countries, the advancement of our cooperation in various areas during the past six months since this historic summit at Camp David. Looking at the global landscape, the free and open international order, based on the rule of law, is now being challenged.  It is already two years since Russia’s aggression against Ukraine started.  Our strategic coordination is more important than ever, and I am eager to work even more closely with both of you in dealing with North Korea and beyond. Thank you very much. FOREIGN MINISTER CHO:  Thank you, Tony.  I’m very delighted to be participating in my first trilateral meeting today.  It is my great pleasure for me to meet with you in person, Tony and Yoko, so this meeting is very meaningful in many ways. First, it is the first trilateral meeting of the year.  The start of the year is always a fitting time to take stock of what we have accomplished together and discuss priorities for the months ahead. Second, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the first-ever trilateral summit held in 1994.  This gathering therefore represents a symbolic milestone in our journey together. Third, this is our first-ever trilateral foreign minister meeting to be held in South America.  I think it is emblematic of our global outreach and our commitment to meet whenever and wherever we can. I look forward to fruitful and meaningful discussions, further strengthening our bilateral relationship.  Thank you. U.S. Department of State Announces Reward Offer for Information Leading to the Arrest and/or Conviction of a Russian Sanctions Evader 02/22/2024 U.S. Department of State Announces Reward Offer for Information Leading to the Arrest and/or Conviction of a Russian Sanctions Evader 02/22/2024 02:40 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The Department of State is announcing a reward offer under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) of up to $1 million for dual Russian-Swiss national Vladislav Osipov for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction for participating in, conspiring to participate in, or attempting to participate in transnational organized crime. This reward announcement follows a 17-count superseding criminal indictment unsealed today  in the District of Columbia charging Osipov with bank fraud. Osipov allegedly served in senior positions in multiple companies belonging to or controlled by Viktor Vekselberg, who was re-designated  by OFAC in March 2022 pursuant to Executive Order 14024. At that time, OFAC identified a luxury yacht named Tango, a Vekselberg asset valued at approximately $90 million, as blocked property pursuant to the Executive Order. U.S. law enforcement investigations revealed Osipov was aware Vekselberg owned the Tango. The investigation identified Osipov and others conspired to operate the Tango as a luxury yacht for Vekselberg in violation of U.S. law since 2018. Any information regarding these reward offers should be directed to the FBI by email at Tips.FBI@FBI.Gov. This reward is offered under the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally and bring fugitives to justice. U.S. Department of State Announces Reward Offer for Information Leading to the Arrest and/or Conviction of a Russian Sanctions Evader 02/22/2024 U.S. Department of State Announces Reward Offer for Information Leading to the Arrest and/or Conviction of a Russian Sanctions Evader 02/22/2024 02:40 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The Department of State is announcing a reward offer under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) of up to $1 million for dual Russian-Swiss national Vladislav Osipov for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction for participating in, conspiring to participate in, or attempting to participate in transnational organized crime. This reward announcement follows a 17-count superseding criminal indictment unsealed today  in the District of Columbia charging Osipov with bank fraud. Osipov allegedly served in senior positions in multiple companies belonging to or controlled by Viktor Vekselberg, who was re-designated  by OFAC in March 2022 pursuant to Executive Order 14024. At that time, OFAC identified a luxury yacht named Tango, a Vekselberg asset valued at approximately $90 million, as blocked property pursuant to the Executive Order. U.S. law enforcement investigations revealed Osipov was aware Vekselberg owned the Tango. The investigation identified Osipov and others conspired to operate the Tango as a luxury yacht for Vekselberg in violation of U.S. law since 2018. Any information regarding these reward offers should be directed to the FBI by email at Tips.FBI@FBI.Gov. This reward is offered under the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally and bring fugitives to justice. Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho 02/22/2024 Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Cho 02/22/2024 02:54 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The following is attributable to Spokesperson Mathew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken had a trilateral meeting today with Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Rio De Janeiro. Secretary Blinken and the Foreign Ministers reflected on the tremendous progress made since the historic Camp David Summit to institutionalize trilateral cooperation and discussed ongoing and future efforts to support one another’s respective Indo-Pacific strategies. Secretary Blinken, Foreign Minister Kamikawa, and Foreign Minister Cho also discussed the importance of building on close coordination in response to the DPRK’s continued provocations as well as Pyongyang’s growing military support for Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.  They also discussed efforts to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. They also discussed the ongoing conflict in Gaza and reiterated the urgent need to release all remaining hostages and increase humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians. U.S. Department of State Announces Project to Protect Ukrainian State Archives 02/22/2024 U.S. Department of State Announces Project to Protect Ukrainian State Archives 02/22/2024 03:57 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine placing Ukrainian cultural identity and heritage under continuous threat, the U.S. Department of State announced today a project to protect and digitize collections of the State Archival Services of Ukraine (SAS), thereby ensuring that Ukrainian history, through its archives, will be safeguarded for generations to come. Implemented in cooperation with the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH), the $645,000 project is the latest activity supported by ECA’s Ukraine Cultural Heritage Response Initiative.  The project includes training for SAS staff in the management and digitization of archival records at risk of damage or destruction.  SAS materials that will be preserved include archival records in the Ukrainian language that are central to Ukraine’s unique identity and to understanding the country’s history. The Ukraine Cultural Heritage Response Initiative, with overall funding of $10.5 million, supports Ukraine’s efforts to protect and repair damage to Ukrainian cultural heritage sites and collections, as well as expand and strengthen public-private partnerships with civil society in Ukraine.  The Initiative prioritizes cultural heritage sites and collections directly impacted by Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine and is part of the United States’ broader global efforts to preserve and protect cultural heritage.  The Initiative complements broader efforts coordinated by the Department’s Cultural Heritage Center to support emergency preparedness and response, monitor Russia’s destruction of cultural heritage in Ukraine, and foster public-private partnerships to preserve and protect cultural heritage. These efforts build on more than 20 years of U.S. engagement on cultural heritage protection and preservation work with the Government of Ukraine through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP).  To learn more about U.S. efforts to preserve and protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage, click here. For further information, please contact ECA-Press@state.gov. Rising to the Challenge on Haiti: Multinational Security Support Mission Ministerial Meeting 02/22/2024 Rising to the Challenge on Haiti: Multinational Security Support Mission Ministerial Meeting 02/22/2024 04:02 PM EST HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Rising to the Challenge on Haiti: Multinational Security Support Mission Ministerial Meeting hide Rising to the Challenge on Haiti: Multinational Security Support Mission Ministerial Meeting Remarks February 22, 2024 SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Assistant Secretary Nichols, thank you very, very much.  (Inaudible) everyone here, thank you (inaudible) being here today (inaudible) for hosting with us. Over the past two days, you’ve had the G20 foreign ministers meeting, and many partners also coming together in support of a shared mission that our hosts have put forward: “to build a just world and build a sustainable planet.”  To resolve conflict; to make communities more peaceful and more stable; to ensure the international system is responsive to the challenges of our time.  That’s been the focus of the last two days of discussion, and I think it’s safe to say that one of the most urgent challenges we face as an international community is in Haiti. In January alone, more than 1,100 people were killed, injured, or kidnapped in the country.  Gangs now control 80 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince.  Armed groups use sexual assault and rape to terrorize the population. The violence has also had the effect of blocking trade routes and aid routes, and shuttered schools.  Criminal groups have cut off access to food, to clean water, to health care, to electricity.  Half the country is eating just one meal a day.  Three million children need immediate humanitarian aid.  And the conflict is spreading north to Haiti’s breadbasket, threatening the food supply for the entire country. The United States is working to reduce the violence and improve daily life for Haitians.  We’ve provided more than $300 million for food, for clean water, for health care, services for survivors of gender-based violence, and other humanitarian aid over the last three years.  We’ve allocated $189 million going back to July of 2021 to help vet, train, and professionalize the Haitian National Police, including supplying vehicles, protective equipment, communications tools, and other essential supplies.  We’re deploying sanctions and visa restrictions to hold accountable those individuals who are financing or enabling violence. And we’re already, as it stands, the largest single donor of assistance to Haiti; we’re committed as well to expanding our efforts. But we know that this support alone is not enough – not enough for the Haitians to take back their country. We need to do more to help the Haitian National Police stabilize the security situation now so that aid can flow in effectively and get to people who need it, so Haitians do not have to live in terror of gangs, and so that Haiti returns fully and strongly to a democratic path. Now, the best way we see to bring about this future is with the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support Mission.  That is what the overwhelming majority of Haitians are calling for. In September, many of us came together in the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the urgent need for a UN Security Council resolution that would authorize such a mission.  The following month, the Security Council passed UN Security Council Resolution 2599 with robust support.  Since then, we’ve had planning conferences – we’ve included one in Washington just last week – we’ve had assessment visits, all to prepare for this mission. The success of the mission, though, depends on securing the international contributions that it needs. Improving Haiti’s security situation is in our collective interest.  We all want to prevent destabilizing irregular migration.  We all want to counter criminal violence and arms trafficking.  We all want to help Haitian communities in need.  The international community has led international efforts to support Haiti for decades.  But we need to help Haiti see these efforts through. So let me start by again expressing deep appreciation to the Kenyan Government for its willingness to serve as the lead nation of this mission.  And we welcome countries around the world – from the Caribbean to West Africa – that have pledged personnel. The United States intends to provide $200 million to the Multinational Security Support Mission.  Our assistance will deliver operational support to help the Haitian National Police with planning, with intelligence, with airlift capacity, communications, and medical equipment and services. We urge the international community to join us by contributing funding, contributing personnel, contributing equipment, contributing logistics, contributing training to this mission. Now, long-term stability in Haiti will require not only restoring public security, but also improving political, economic, and social conditions.  The United States continues to call for the restoration of the democratic order through an inclusive political process in Haiti.  We urge Prime Minister Henry and all key stakeholders to come together around broader-based governance. The only legitimate path to long-term peace and stability is through free and fair elections.  Haitians have the right to be led by a government of their choice – one that serves their needs, that reflects their aspirations, and that is accountable to the people that it serves. Earlier last month, gang members targeted Solino, a once-peaceful neighborhood in Port-au-Prince.  Residents were trapped in their homes by heavy gunfire, even as gang members torched storefronts, schools, houses, cars.  People who managed to flee called into a local radio station to plead for help.  One of them said:  If police don’t come, we are dying today. After a multi-day siege, the police managed to stabilize the situation.  But Solino still burns – and residents fear that the gangs will attack again and take control, placing the entire capital under their abusive and terrifying control. In Solino and across the country, the Haitian National Police are fighting courageously to take back their communities.  If we stand with them, if we stand with the people of Haiti, they can succeed, we can succeed.  Today, we have an opportunity to make that possible.  I’m grateful to everyone who’s participating, standing up in this moment of need, but also this moment of possibility.  Thank you.  2699 Tags Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Crime Haiti Humanitarian Aid Office of the Spokesperson Official International Travel Secretary Trip The Secretary of State U.S. Department of State Announces Project to Protect Ukrainian State Archives 02/22/2024 U.S. Department of State Announces Project to Protect Ukrainian State Archives 02/22/2024 03:57 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine placing Ukrainian cultural identity and heritage under continuous threat, the U.S. Department of State announced today a project to protect and digitize collections of the State Archival Services of Ukraine (SAS), thereby ensuring that Ukrainian history, through its archives, will be safeguarded for generations to come. Implemented in cooperation with the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH), the $645,000 project is the latest activity supported by ECA’s Ukraine Cultural Heritage Response Initiative.  The project includes training for SAS staff in the management and digitization of archival records at risk of damage or destruction.  SAS materials that will be preserved include archival records in the Ukrainian language that are central to Ukraine’s unique identity and to understanding the country’s history. The Ukraine Cultural Heritage Response Initiative, with overall funding of $10.5 million, supports Ukraine’s efforts to protect and repair damage to Ukrainian cultural heritage sites and collections, as well as expand and strengthen public-private partnerships with civil society in Ukraine.  The Initiative prioritizes cultural heritage sites and collections directly impacted by Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine and is part of the United States’ broader global efforts to preserve and protect cultural heritage.  The Initiative complements broader efforts coordinated by the Department’s Cultural Heritage Center to support emergency preparedness and response, monitor Russia’s destruction of cultural heritage in Ukraine, and foster public-private partnerships to preserve and protect cultural heritage. These efforts build on more than 20 years of U.S. engagement on cultural heritage protection and preservation work with the Government of Ukraine through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP).  To learn more about U.S. efforts to preserve and protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage, click here. For further information, please contact ECA-Press@state.gov. Brunei National Day 02/22/2024 Brunei National Day 02/22/2024 04:10 PM EST HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Brunei National Day hide Brunei National Day Press Statement February 22, 2024 On behalf of the people of the United States, congratulations to the people of Brunei Darussalam as you mark your 40th National Day on February 23. The United States and Brunei have enjoyed a long-lasting and prosperous friendship since 1850 when we signed the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation. In the coming year, I look forward to broadening cooperation by promoting prosperity through economic diversification, supporting Brunei’s regional leadership on climate change, deepening our robust military partnership, and growing our strong people-to-people ties through our professional and educational exchanges. I wish all the people of Brunei Darussalam joyful and peaceful celebrations as you come together to honor your national holiday. Tags Brunei Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Brunei National Day 02/22/2024 Brunei National Day 02/22/2024 04:10 PM EST HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Brunei National Day hide Brunei National Day Press Statement February 22, 2024 On behalf of the people of the United States, congratulations to the people of Brunei Darussalam as you mark your 40th National Day on February 23. The United States and Brunei have enjoyed a long-lasting and prosperous friendship since 1850 when we signed the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation. In the coming year, I look forward to broadening cooperation by promoting prosperity through economic diversification, supporting Brunei’s regional leadership on climate change, deepening our robust military partnership, and growing our strong people-to-people ties through our professional and educational exchanges. I wish all the people of Brunei Darussalam joyful and peaceful celebrations as you come together to honor your national holiday. Tags Brunei Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Rising to the Challenge on Haiti: Multinational Security Support Mission Ministerial Meeting 02/22/2024 Rising to the Challenge on Haiti: Multinational Security Support Mission Ministerial Meeting 02/22/2024 04:02 PM EST HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…Rising to the Challenge on Haiti: Multinational Security Support Mission Ministerial Meeting hide Rising to the Challenge on Haiti: Multinational Security Support Mission Ministerial Meeting Remarks February 22, 2024 SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Assistant Secretary Nichols, thank you very, very much.  (Inaudible) everyone here, thank you (inaudible) being here today (inaudible) for hosting with us. Over the past two days, you’ve had the G20 foreign ministers meeting, and many partners also coming together in support of a shared mission that our hosts have put forward: “to build a just world and build a sustainable planet.”  To resolve conflict; to make communities more peaceful and more stable; to ensure the international system is responsive to the challenges of our time.  That’s been the focus of the last two days of discussion, and I think it’s safe to say that one of the most urgent challenges we face as an international community is in Haiti. In January alone, more than 1,100 people were killed, injured, or kidnapped in the country.  Gangs now control 80 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince.  Armed groups use sexual assault and rape to terrorize the population. The violence has also had the effect of blocking trade routes and aid routes, and shuttered schools.  Criminal groups have cut off access to food, to clean water, to health care, to electricity.  Half the country is eating just one meal a day.  Three million children need immediate humanitarian aid.  And the conflict is spreading north to Haiti’s breadbasket, threatening the food supply for the entire country. The United States is working to reduce the violence and improve daily life for Haitians.  We’ve provided more than $300 million for food, for clean water, for health care, services for survivors of gender-based violence, and other humanitarian aid over the last three years.  We’ve allocated $189 million going back to July of 2021 to help vet, train, and professionalize the Haitian National Police, including supplying vehicles, protective equipment, communications tools, and other essential supplies.  We’re deploying sanctions and visa restrictions to hold accountable those individuals who are financing or enabling violence. And we’re already, as it stands, the largest single donor of assistance to Haiti; we’re committed as well to expanding our efforts. But we know that this support alone is not enough – not enough for the Haitians to take back their country. We need to do more to help the Haitian National Police stabilize the security situation now so that aid can flow in effectively and get to people who need it, so Haitians do not have to live in terror of gangs, and so that Haiti returns fully and strongly to a democratic path. Now, the best way we see to bring about this future is with the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support Mission.  That is what the overwhelming majority of Haitians are calling for. In September, many of us came together in the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the urgent need for a UN Security Council resolution that would authorize such a mission.  The following month, the Security Council passed UN Security Council Resolution 2599 with robust support.  Since then, we’ve had planning conferences – we’ve included one in Washington just last week – we’ve had assessment visits, all to prepare for this mission. The success of the mission, though, depends on securing the international contributions that it needs. Improving Haiti’s security situation is in our collective interest.  We all want to prevent destabilizing irregular migration.  We all want to counter criminal violence and arms trafficking.  We all want to help Haitian communities in need.  The international community has led international efforts to support Haiti for decades.  But we need to help Haiti see these efforts through. So let me start by again expressing deep appreciation to the Kenyan Government for its willingness to serve as the lead nation of this mission.  And we welcome countries around the world – from the Caribbean to West Africa – that have pledged personnel. The United States intends to provide $200 million to the Multinational Security Support Mission.  Our assistance will deliver operational support to help the Haitian National Police with planning, with intelligence, with airlift capacity, communications, and medical equipment and services. We urge the international community to join us by contributing funding, contributing personnel, contributing equipment, contributing logistics, contributing training to this mission. Now, long-term stability in Haiti will require not only restoring public security, but also improving political, economic, and social conditions.  The United States continues to call for the restoration of the democratic order through an inclusive political process in Haiti.  We urge Prime Minister Henry and all key stakeholders to come together around broader-based governance. The only legitimate path to long-term peace and stability is through free and fair elections.  Haitians have the right to be led by a government of their choice – one that serves their needs, that reflects their aspirations, and that is accountable to the people that it serves. Earlier last month, gang members targeted Solino, a once-peaceful neighborhood in Port-au-Prince.  Residents were trapped in their homes by heavy gunfire, even as gang members torched storefronts, schools, houses, cars.  People who managed to flee called into a local radio station to plead for help.  One of them said:  If police don’t come, we are dying today. After a multi-day siege, the police managed to stabilize the situation.  But Solino still burns – and residents fear that the gangs will attack again and take control, placing the entire capital under their abusive and terrifying control. In Solino and across the country, the Haitian National Police are fighting courageously to take back their communities.  If we stand with them, if we stand with the people of Haiti, they can succeed, we can succeed.  Today, we have an opportunity to make that possible.  I’m grateful to everyone who’s participating, standing up in this moment of need, but also this moment of possibility.  Thank you.  2699 Tags Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Crime Haiti Humanitarian Aid Office of the Spokesperson Official International Travel Secretary Trip The Secretary of State U.S. Relations with Argentina 02/22/2024 U.S. Relations with Argentina 02/22/2024 04:18 PM EST HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases…U.S. Relations with Argentina hide U.S. Relations with Argentina Fact Sheet February 22, 2024 Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will visit Buenos Aires February 23, 2024, and meet with President Javier Milei to reaffirm shared interests and expand cooperation on trade, critical minerals, human rights, and security.  U.S.-Argentina Relations The United States and Argentina maintain a bilateral relationship based on deep economic ties and shared interests, including democracy and human rights, counterterrorism and rule of law, improving citizen security, science, energy and technology infrastructure, people-to-people ties, and education. In 2023, we celebrated 200 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Argentina. A U.S. Presidential Delegation led by Energy Secretary Granholm attended President Milei’s December 10, 2023, inauguration. Members of the delegation met privately with President Milei to fortify the relationship between the United States and Argentina. In 2023, the United States and Argentina held successful high-level dialogues on human rights and labor rights that increased alignment on these shared values. The Argentina Declassification Project, the largest government-to-government declassification release in U.S. history, released over 11,000 records related to human rights abuses under Argentina’s 1976-1983 dictatorship. It reflects the U.S. government’s longstanding commitment to transparency, accountability, and human rights.  Bilateral Economic Relations The United States is the largest foreign investor in Argentina, with approximately $12.6 billion (stock) foreign direct investment in 2022, according to the Department of Commerce. The United States supports sustainable, inclusive growth in Argentina through its participation in the IMF and other international financial institutions that support financial stability and structural reform. On February 1, 2024, the board members of the IMF supported the Seventh Review of Argentina’s program, enabling the disbursement of $4.7 billion in funds needed to support ongoing economic reforms. In August 2021, the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires launched the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) at our Binational Center in Rosario. This initiative helped 30 Argentine women entrepreneurs create and grow their businesses through a blend of online training, mentorship, networking, and soft skill building. U.S. science cooperation with Argentina remains strong, with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at the forefront of collaboration. Argentina signed the Artemis Accords during a visit by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson to Argentina on July 27, 2023, joining an expanding multilateral conversation regarding a common vision of peaceful space cooperation. Through the Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources and the Department of Energy’s Net Zero World initiative, the United States delivers technical assistance on critical minerals, decarbonization, renewable energy deployment, and power sector procurement. Foreign Assistance and Cooperation The Department of State provides training and equipment to Argentina to counter transnational criminal organizations, drug trafficking, and related financial crime. The Department of State also funded a $1.3 million U.S.-Argentina initiative to Counter Synthetic Drugs and Precursor Chemicals, which is illustrative of our strong bilateral cooperation and Argentina’s leadership on this growing threat in the region. The United States and Argentina also cooperate on economic revitalization. U.S. Department of Labor programs support the Argentine government and civil society’s efforts to combat child and forced labor, increase worker safety, and expand apprenticeship opportunities for at-risk youth. Since 2017, Argentina has received $6.6 million in Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) security assistance to support the development of an engineer company it has pledged for UN peacekeeping operations. On December 20, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed terrorism charges against Samuel Salman El Reda for his role in planning and executing the attack on the Argentine-Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA). Educational and Cultural Relations The United States and Argentina cooperate closely on a range of binational educational activities at the basic and higher education levels. The Binational Fulbright Commission coordinates the exchange of students, teachers, and researchers.  The Commission facilitates over 250 exchanges annually and has coordinated over 10,000 exchanges since its inception in 1956. More than 11,000 youth, students, scholars, teachers, and professionals have participated in cultural and educational exchanges between the United States and Argentina.  Combatting the Climate Crisis Argentina is a strong partner in efforts to tackle the climate crisis. President Milei has committed to maintain Argentina’s nationally determined contribution by limiting emissions to a level 27.7 percent below its 2016 total emission target.  Argentina also increased its renewable energy target from 25 percent to 30 percent by 2030, committed to reduce methane emissions, and pledged to eradicate illegal deforestation. Rosario, one of Argentina’s prominent port cities, participates in the Cities Forward Initiative as a partner city to Chattanooga, Tennessee. The cities are working to develop an urban sustainability project that benefits each city’s most vulnerable populations. Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation Argentina is an active member and positive voice in the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, a White House initiative launched on September 18, 2023. The 38-country partnership enables Atlantic coastal states to collaborate on common challenges to advance a peaceful, stable, prosperous, open, safe, and cooperative Atlantic region and promote healthy, sustainable, and resilient Atlantic resources. Tags Argentina Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Climate Change Cultural Exchanges Economic Affairs Foreign Assistance Fulbright Program Office of the Spokesperson Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Press Availability 02/22/2024 Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Press Availability 02/22/2024 05:46 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Rio de Janeiro, Brazil JW Marriott Hotel SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Well, good afternoon, everyone.  First, let me say what a pleasure it is to be here in Brazil – first in Brasília, now here in Rio.  And as I think many of you know, this is the 200th anniversary this year of diplomatic relations between the United States and Brazil, something that we will be highlighting and celebrating throughout the rest of the year. It’s exactly a year ago that the President and President Lula met, and I think one of the things that stood out from that meeting was a common desire, a common objective, a common goal to leave the next generation a better future.  Those were President Lula’s words; it’s also President Biden’s commitment.  And I think what we’re seeing in so many different areas is the United States and Brazil working closely together to do just that. I had the pleasure and privilege of spending some time with President Lula yesterday in Brasília.  I’m grateful to him for the time that he dedicated and to the depth and richness of the conversation we had.  And as I reflected on what we talked about, so much of it was this common agenda between our countries to try to build effectively a better future for our people, focusing on the areas and on the issues that really have an impact in their daily lives. We’re all seized with the obligation of contending with the one existential threat to humanity, and that’s climate change.  And our countries have been leaders on that.  Of course, the rainforest – the Amazon – is one of the world’s greatest natural resources when it comes to actually effectively dealing with climate change carbon emissions.  President Lula put it this way when he was at the White House with President Biden:  “To take care of the Amazon rainforest today is to take of the planet Earth.  And to take care of the planet Earth is to take care of our own .”  I don’t think anyone could put it any better. So the United States is working side by side with Brazil to support its efforts to preserve the rainforest, to combat deforestation.  We’re putting resources into that; we’re engaged with many other countries around the world to encourage them to participate.  And with USAID and other organizations in the U.S. Government, we’re working in very practical, concrete ways to help with – support the management and preservation of the rainforest. In 2025, Brazil will head up the COP, COP30, in Belém.  This is a very important opportunity to advance progress on the many different ways in which all of us are dealing with climate change, and we applaud Brazil’s leadership. Another area where Brazil is leading and the United States has partnered with Brazil is on dealing with the challenge of food insecurity and global hunger.  Here I’m proud of the fact the United States has invested billions of dollars over the last few years, both to deal with emergency situations that we face – the world has faced – as a result of climate change, COVID, and conflict, including Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.  Since 2021, the United States has invested $17.5 billion dollars in trying to support food security for people around the world.  But it’s not only the emergency assistance that counts, and I discussed this with President Lula.   It’s the work we are doing to invest in productive capacity around the world for countries from Africa to Latin America to well beyond.  That is the answer to the challenge of food insecurity.  We have many initiatives under way that are doing just that – adapting our agricultural systems, our food production systems. With Brazil, we have a partnership to bring artificial intelligence and other technologies to improve the soil in countries.  And one of the things that we found and is at the heart of one of our own major new initiatives – VACS, our Vision for Adapted Crops and Soil – is when you have resilient and nutritious seeds resilient to climate change and other extreme weather patterns, when you have strong soil, anything is possible. And this initiative with Brazil is working to do just that, and that means that what we then put into the ground on top of the seeds and soil, like fertilizer, will be much more effective.  So we’re working to develop crops that use nutrients more efficiently, more effectively, lowering costs, lowering dependencies, and at the same time lowering emissions.  It’s joined with climate change.  So another powerful example of where our two countries are working together in common purpose. And then, of course, President Biden, President Lula are joined profoundly by their commitment to protecting worker rights, to defending and strengthening labor around the world.  I think both presidents see it the same way.  Workers, labor are at the heart of our successes as countries; we are both building economies from the bottom up and the middle out.  Here again, the Partnership for Workers’ Rights that the two presidents signed – stopping worker exploitation, focusing on forced labor, on child labor, promoting rights around the world – here again, our countries are joined. And we have a joint action plan as well to eliminate racial and ethnic discrimination and promote equality, equitable access to education, to health care, to justice, particularly for people of African and indigenous origin. I mention all of this because it was really at the heart of the conversation that I had with President Lula yesterday, and aspects are also at the heart of the G20 agenda, which Brazil is leading.  And the other main purpose of this visit was to take part in a meeting with the foreign ministers led by Foreign Minister Vieira to prepare the agenda for the leaders when they have the meeting of the G20 leadership toward the end of this year.  Here again, Brazil and the United States are working very closely together as partners, and it’s the United States purpose in this to support and make a success of Brazil’s presidency of the G20. In all of the areas of focus that Brazil has set forward – whether, again, it comes to advancing the rights of workers and laborers, whether it comes to dealing with climate change, food security, whether it comes to reforming the institutions that shape how countries interact around the world – we are working hand in hand with Brazil on that. Now, the scope, the scale of some of these global challenges is immense, and I know that there are times when it feels like those challenges are outpacing our collective capacity to tackle them.  But I think what the G20 can demonstrate – it’s demonstrated it in the past and I believe it will demonstrate it in the future – is that, no, we actually do have the capacity when we’re working together, to effectively meet the moment, to meet the challenges that we’re facing, to actually address the needs of the people that we represent. The United States, for its part, is working to do that, and we had some discussion of these issues in the context of the G20. On Ukraine, there is a strong, palpable desire among virtually all of the G20 for the Russian aggression to end and for peace to prevail in a way that upholds the rights of Ukrainians to their freedom, to their future, to the territorial integrity of their country.  And that was very clear in the meetings that we had over the last two days. The conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas – we’re focused intensely on trying to get an agreement that results in the release of the remaining hostages and that produces an extended humanitarian ceasefire.  And again, those are goals that I think virtually everyone in the G20 shares. Haiti – an area that is close to home and close to the hearts of Americans and Brazilians alike – we see a situation that continues to deteriorate, particularly when it comes to the profound insecurity as a result of gangs that are running rampant not only in Port-au-Prince but increasingly beyond.  We see a state that’s on the verge of becoming a failed state, and the result is that people are suffering tremendously – not only from the violence, including sexual violence, but just from the inability to get the basic necessities of life. Today we had a meeting that involved a number of countries, all of whom will be contributing to the mission to help provide renewed security for Haiti that was endorsed by the United Nations last fall and that we’re now making – making real.  We have a commitment from Kenya to lead this effort in support of the Haitian National Police, and today we had a – as I said, a meeting with well more than a dozen countries, each of whom is contributing or plans to contribute significantly to this mission with personnel, with equipment, with training, and with financial resources.  And I think today we had at least another $120 million committed to that effort. We’re working together to deal with irregular migration, a challenge that countries around the world are facing in this moment.  This is, simply put, a challenge of historic proportions.  We see more people on the move now around the planet – not only in our own hemisphere, but around the planet – more people than ever before since we’ve been recording these numbers.  But here again, we’re working collectively to try to address the challenge. And then in so many other places around the world where there is conflict, where there is insecurity, the United States, working with other countries, is trying to make a change and trying to make a difference – whether it’s in Sudan, whether it’s in the eastern DRC, Ethiopia, Somalia.  We’re working in all of these places to try to deal with insecurity and also, more broadly in Africa, with a very strong, affirmative agenda which I was able to highlight on my recent visit. Finally, beyond security, we are putting together new coalitions of countries and organizations to meet shared challenges in new ways.  We have a global partnership now to direct investment in infrastructure in ways that create a race to the top, not a race to the bottom – to make sure that as we pursue infrastructure projects in countries around the world and direct investment in that direction, we’re doing it in a way that doesn’t saddle countries with debt, that respects the rights of workers, the environment, transparency.  That coalition – including here in Brazil – is increasingly focused on concrete projects and putting the resources into them. We have countries – well more than a hundred countries – that have come together to meet a Global Methane Pledge, the largest single contributor to global warming, to cut emissions by 30 – methane emissions 30 percent by 2030.  That will have a powerful impact. And as I’ve discussed many times, we now have a global coalition to deal with what is now the number one killer of Americans at age 18 to 49: synthetic opioids – in the case of the United States, fentanyl, but in the case of many other countries, we see methamphetamines, we see ketamine, we see tramadol.  This is one of the new challenges that increasingly countries around the world are being attentive to, because they need to be.  And this was also a subject at the G20. Finally, even as we’re trying to work on issues of peace and security, even as we’re dealing with these broad transnational challenges that no one country can effectively deal with alone, we also have to be reinvesting in and updating the international institutions that bring us all together to deal with these challenges.  That was the subject of today’s session of the G20.  We have to have institutions that are more reflective of the world as it is today, not the world as it was when these institutions were created, most of them 80 years ago.  We have to have institutions that are more responsive and more effective in meeting the challenges of today. So the United States has been leading in these efforts too.  We’re leading the effort to expand the United Nations Security Council, both in terms of permanent and non-permanent members, so that it better reflects today’s world, today’s realities.  We’re looking and working to sharpen the UN’s focus on the most critical emerging issues of the day and emerging opportunities, starting with artificial intelligence.  The resolution that we have before the United Nations General Assembly is a way to set a foundation to make sure that artificial intelligence is used in a way that is safe, that’s trustworthy, and that actually advances progress on issues that matter to people, including achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We’re working to make the international financial institutions more responsive, more effective, more efficient in ways that create access to capital for countries that need it, to concessional financing, and to dealing with the huge debt burdens that so many countries face.  We’re amplifying the voice of emerging markets and developing countries throughout these institutions.  And we’re working as well to mobilize private capital to make sure that it’s directed the right places in the right ways. In all of these ways, the United States is helping to lead the effort to make sure that the institutions that bring us together and where we’re working together are more reflective of today’s world and more effective in meeting its challenges.  This is in so many ways a moment of tremendous testing for all of us.  In the more then 30 years that I’ve been engaged in these issues in government, I can’t think of a time when there’s been a greater multiplicity, a greater complexity, a greater interconnectedness of the challenges we’re facing.  And I think that only underscores the importance of doing more than ever before in working together, in cooperating, in coordinating, in communicating. The powerful reality is this:  No one country alone has the capacity to deal with these challenges effectively.  But when we work together, when we focus our efforts on common goals, I think we’ve demonstrated in the past and we will demonstrate in the future that there’s nothing we can’t actually achieve.  Thank you. MR PATEL:  We’ll first go to Courtney McBride from Bloomberg News. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Courtney, I’m getting my pen out in case there are multiple questions, and — QUESTION:  I’ll try to keep it brief and onto one topic, Mr. Secretary.  Thanks.  Despite the U.S. and other countries’ efforts to isolate Russia, which yesterday you called the world’s leading exporter of instability, it remains actively engaged on the global stage, including with Foreign Minister Lavrov’s participation in this week’s ministerial.  So how does that fact complicate efforts to respond collectively to global challenges, and how did it affect this week’s meetings? And then continuing on Russia, President Biden said that new sanctions are coming tomorrow in connection with the two-year anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as the death of Aleksey Navalny.  The Kremlin reportedly has warned Navalny’s widow not to return to Russia, and his mother is complaining that the Russian Government is pressuring her into a secret burial.  How do the U.S. and its allies and partners hope to influence or alter Russia’s behavior when previous sanctions have not had that effect?  And further, is a state sponsor of terrorism designation a possible way to further influence Russia?  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Great.  Thanks, Courtney.  So first, I think, again, if you were in the room over the last two days, when it came to, for example, the discussions that we had about the Russian aggression against Ukraine – and not just against Ukraine, against the very principles that are at the heart of the international system that we were here to talk about and hopefully to strengthen – I think if you were in that room, as Foreign Minister Lavrov was, you heard a very strong chorus coming from not – as I said, not just the G7 countries within the G20, but from many others as well, about the imperative of ending the Russian aggression, restoring peace, making sure that Ukrainians are the ones who decide their own future, preserving the territorial integrity of the country. That’s increasingly clear, so I think in a sense it’s actually quite a useful reminder to Russia about what virtually the entire world thinks of this aggression and the strong desire to see it end. And again, there are two reasons for that.  One is the fact that it’s an aggression against the principles at the heart of the system.  The other is that it’s had consequences for countries and people around the world – rising food prices, rising energy prices that have afflicted people largely because of this Russian aggression. Now, we’ve been able to address that in increasingly effective ways, including Ukraine, by pushing the Russian navy back and getting access to the Black Sea again.  Exports through the Black Sea from Ukraine now exceed what they were before the Russian aggression in February of 2022, but I think countries around the world are seeing the impact it’s having on them, and it’s another reason they want it to stop. In terms of new measures and additional sanctions, stay tuned.  They will be forthcoming.  And I’d just say this about Mr. Navalny, someone truly heroic in his life, in his work.  But the fact that Vladimir Putin saw it necessary to persecute, poison, and imprison one man speaks volumes not about Russia’s strength under Putin, but its weakness.  And I think, again, countries around the world, including in the G20, were very clear about what they thought about what happened to Mr. Navalny. MR PATEL:  We’ll go to Fernando David with Band TV. QUESTION:  Hello, Mr. Secretary.  It’s a pleasure to have the opportunity of address you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you. QUESTION:  I’d like to ask you, what is your personal opinion – not the United States, but yours, Mr. Blinken – about President Lula’s statement comparing the situation in Gaza with the Holocaust?  And in addition, if you believe that this kind of statement could spoil or frustrate the Brazilians’ government plans of – presented at this – today’s G20, especially the big changes proposed in the UN Security Council with the inclusion of another country such as Brazil?  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you very much.  First, let me repeat something I said a few minutes ago.  The quality of the conversation, the exchange, with President Lula – I, on behalf of the United States, could not have been more pleased with.  And I’m grateful to him for all of the time he dedicated to our meeting, but also, again, the substance of it.  And as I said, we were focused almost entirely on the very important and powerful common agenda that the United States and Brazil share when it comes to the big challenges of our moment, and doing so in ways that improves the lives of people in Brazil, the United States, and around the world. That was almost the entirety of our conversation, and it’s reflective of the fact that in so many ways the vision that President Lula brings is the same vision that President Biden has.  And as a representative of President Biden, my purpose was really to continue to deepen that common approach and continue to look at practical ways we can advance it. Now, we also have differences on some issues and the way we approach them.  And on this particular question, obviously the comparison of Gaza to the Holocaust we profoundly disagree.  But that’s also something that friends do.  We can have these disagreements, even profound disagreements, on one particular issue or I should say even an aspect of the issue and still continue all of the vital work that we’re doing together. And also, we’re joined in having the shared objectives in this moment of getting hostages out, getting an extended humanitarian ceasefire in, along with more humanitarian assistance, and ending the conflict.  That’s a shared objective.  So I think it’s important to know that was the nature of our conversation, of our exchange.  And we’re committed – we remain committed – to advancing our common agenda, both between the United States and Brazil directly as well as through Brazil’s leadership of the G20. MR PATEL:  We’ll go to Simon Lewis with Reuters. QUESTION:  Thank you.  Secretary Blinken, I wanted to ask a little bit more on the Gaza question.  Coming to the G20 meetings last year, you were able to kind of garner widespread support from members of the G20 with your position on Russia, even citing UN Charter principles that were being breached by the invasion of Ukraine.  This year, we got most of the members of the G20 – or many members of the G20 are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, in contradiction with your own position, highlighted by the fact that the U.S. was forced to use a veto at the UN on that issue. So comparing the last year to this year, is your support for Israel and its war leaving you isolated?  Has it put you on the backfoot? And in a related couple of points, there are continuing warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.  Deconfliction issues and looting are meaning trucks getting aid in make it into Gaza, but they don’t actually reach those in need.  WFP has said its suspending crucial food deliveries to the north of Gaza, and the UN assessment mission that you’ve spoken about hasn’t gone ahead.  What are you doing to address this dire situation?  And can you say whether Israel is really doing all it can to cooperate with those efforts?  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thanks, Simon.  So first, with regard to the UN Security Council resolution, it’s important to start with the – with this clear fact and proposition.  That resolution would not, in and of itself, resulted in a ceasefire.  The question before us is what is the most effective way to move forward – move forward in a way that gets hostages out, gets an extended humanitarian ceasefire, and ultimately leads to the end of the conflict.  And in our judgment, the best way to do that is to exactly what we’re doing right now, which is to work intensely on an agreement on the hostages. This is something I’m involved in virtually very single day, including here, alongside my colleagues, the CIA director Bill Burns, the White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk.  We’re in constant communication and working every aspect of this, because that is the quickest path, the most effective path to get to where everyone wants to go, including everyone at the G20. And as I said, the Security Council resolution, in and of itself, would not produce that.  And indeed, the concern that we had with this particular resolution was twofold.  One was the fact that it was actually silent as to hostages; second, the timing of it was such that at the very moment when, again, the best path forward is to see if we can reach an agreement on the hostages, anything that might in any way undermine that, confuse that, disrupt that effort, is simply counterproductive to what everyone wants to achieve. Now, in terms of what people want to achieve, actually we all share the same goals.  Everyone wants to see an end to this conflict as soon as possible.  Everyone wants to see an end to the suffering of children, women, and men in Gaza, who – so many innocents who’ve suffered and continue to suffer so terribly, who are caught in this crossfire of Hamas’s making.  We all want to see that end as quickly as possible.  And I think all of us are united in wanting to see after Gaza the path forward to a genuinely durable, sustainable peace, to make sure that this never happens again for Israelis and never happens again for Palestinians.  So we’re united in that. And again, in terms of some of the particulars, everyone supports trying to reach a hostage agreement.  Everyone supports having an extended humanitarian ceasefire to allow that agreement to go forward, as well as to dramatically increase humanitarian assistance.  Everyone supports finding a way to end the conflict and move to this path to a durable solution. So I found a lot of commonality on that.  Now, again, there may be differences over tactics, and there may be differences over the Security Council resolution.  But if we’re trying to focus on actually getting results, actually making a change, making a difference, we think what we’re focused on is the best way to do that. In terms of assistance getting in, what I can tell you is this:  There are two things that are a challenge.  One is actually getting the assistance in to Gaza, and here this is something we’ve been working on pretty much every single day over the last four months.  And over time, we were able, first of all, to open the gates to start to allow assistance in.  That was a product of our intense engagement and diplomacy.  Then to expand the places through which assistance was getting through, as well as to expand the assistance itself – all of this has taken a lot of sustained work. But it’s also accurate that every step along the way, we’ve encountered obstacles; we continue to encounter them, and we’re dealing with them virtually every day.  Then once assistance is inside of Gaza, that’s not enough, because it actually has to get to the people who need it.  And there too, there have been many obstacles that we’re trying to work through every single day, including making sure that convoys can proceed in a way that ensures the safety of those who are conducting them.  And that means deconfliction, it means coordination, and that has been insufficient.  So we’re working to improve that, as well as to make sure that – as you pointed out – assistance gets not only to people throughout the southern part of Gaza but actually gets to the many people who need it who remain in the north, some 350,000 people who remain above the Wadi Gaza. So what I can tell you is this:  We are working this quite literally every single day, through our own envoy for assistance, Ambassador David Satterfield and his team; through the work that I and many others in the government are doing, engaging with the different institutions of the United Nations, engaging with the Israeli Government, with the Egyptians, with the Jordanians. The bottom line is this, though:  We need more aid to get in, through more places, to reach more people.  That’s the bottom line, and we want to make sure that we deliver on that. QUESTION:  The (inaudible)? SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Every single day we – we’re engaged.  When an issue arises, we tackle it and we look to see that there’s an adequate response.  So you can take this issue – issue by issue, obstacle by obstacle.  But what we have seen is when we’ve brought up a problem that’s arisen, generally speaking, yes, the Israelis have engaged it.  But we continue to be in a situation where, again, not enough is getting in in the first place, and once it’s in, it’s not effectively getting to everyone who needs it.  That has to be addressed. MR PATEL:  Final question – Camila Zarur, Folha de São Paulo. QUESTION:  Hi, Mr. Secretary.  Before the G20 chancellors reunion, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov criticized the politicization of G20 for addressing issues such as the war in Ukraine.  How do you see this statement?  And have you had any conversation with Mr. Lavrov during the G20 meeting or in the dinner last night? SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you.  The second part of the question first.  I didn’t have any direct conversations with Foreign Minister Lavrov, but we certainly – well, I heard him speak in the meetings and I imagine he heard me speak, and many others as well. Second, in terms of the so-called politicization of the G20, I think Foreign Minister Vieira and a number of other colleagues addressed this very effectively themselves.  If we’re not able to deal with issues of peace and security, then it’s going to be if not impossible at least that much harder to actually deal with what we’re trying to accomplish through the G20.  If you have conflict, if you have insecurity, then actually making progress on food security, on the energy transition, on dealing with climate change, on working to defend and uphold worker rights, that’s either impossible or much more difficult. So it’s very much within the province of the G20 to be talking about these issues and hopefully to find common ways forward.  I think that’s what the people that we represent expect of us.  It’s actually what pretty much people around the world expect of us, because the G20, even though it represents the world’s 20 largest economies, is in many ways also representative of the entire global majority, even countries that are not at the G20 table, although we had a lot of invited countries to the session and I applaud Brazil for doing that. So no, I think it’s clear that this is not the politicization of the G20.  On the contrary, we have a responsibility to try to come together, find a way forward on geopolitical issues that may be divisive, because if we don’t do that the entire rest of the agenda is going to be very, very difficult to achieve. MR PATEL:  Thanks, everybody. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you. MR PATEL:  Thank you. Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Press Availability 02/22/2024 Secretary Antony J. Blinken At a Press Availability 02/22/2024 05:46 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Rio de Janeiro, Brazil JW Marriott Hotel SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Well, good afternoon, everyone.  First, let me say what a pleasure it is to be here in Brazil – first in Brasília, now here in Rio.  And as I think many of you know, this is the 200th anniversary this year of diplomatic relations between the United States and Brazil, something that we will be highlighting and celebrating throughout the rest of the year. It’s exactly a year ago that the President and President Lula met, and I think one of the things that stood out from that meeting was a common desire, a common objective, a common goal to leave the next generation a better future.  Those were President Lula’s words; it’s also President Biden’s commitment.  And I think what we’re seeing in so many different areas is the United States and Brazil working closely together to do just that. I had the pleasure and privilege of spending some time with President Lula yesterday in Brasília.  I’m grateful to him for the time that he dedicated and to the depth and richness of the conversation we had.  And as I reflected on what we talked about, so much of it was this common agenda between our countries to try to build effectively a better future for our people, focusing on the areas and on the issues that really have an impact in their daily lives. We’re all seized with the obligation of contending with the one existential threat to humanity, and that’s climate change.  And our countries have been leaders on that.  Of course, the rainforest – the Amazon – is one of the world’s greatest natural resources when it comes to actually effectively dealing with climate change carbon emissions.  President Lula put it this way when he was at the White House with President Biden:  “To take care of the Amazon rainforest today is to take of the planet Earth.  And to take care of the planet Earth is to take care of our own .”  I don’t think anyone could put it any better. So the United States is working side by side with Brazil to support its efforts to preserve the rainforest, to combat deforestation.  We’re putting resources into that; we’re engaged with many other countries around the world to encourage them to participate.  And with USAID and other organizations in the U.S. Government, we’re working in very practical, concrete ways to help with – support the management and preservation of the rainforest. In 2025, Brazil will head up the COP, COP30, in Belém.  This is a very important opportunity to advance progress on the many different ways in which all of us are dealing with climate change, and we applaud Brazil’s leadership. Another area where Brazil is leading and the United States has partnered with Brazil is on dealing with the challenge of food insecurity and global hunger.  Here I’m proud of the fact the United States has invested billions of dollars over the last few years, both to deal with emergency situations that we face – the world has faced – as a result of climate change, COVID, and conflict, including Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.  Since 2021, the United States has invested $17.5 billion dollars in trying to support food security for people around the world.  But it’s not only the emergency assistance that counts, and I discussed this with President Lula.   It’s the work we are doing to invest in productive capacity around the world for countries from Africa to Latin America to well beyond.  That is the answer to the challenge of food insecurity.  We have many initiatives under way that are doing just that – adapting our agricultural systems, our food production systems. With Brazil, we have a partnership to bring artificial intelligence and other technologies to improve the soil in countries.  And one of the things that we found and is at the heart of one of our own major new initiatives – VACS, our Vision for Adapted Crops and Soil – is when you have resilient and nutritious seeds resilient to climate change and other extreme weather patterns, when you have strong soil, anything is possible. And this initiative with Brazil is working to do just that, and that means that what we then put into the ground on top of the seeds and soil, like fertilizer, will be much more effective.  So we’re working to develop crops that use nutrients more efficiently, more effectively, lowering costs, lowering dependencies, and at the same time lowering emissions.  It’s joined with climate change.  So another powerful example of where our two countries are working together in common purpose. And then, of course, President Biden, President Lula are joined profoundly by their commitment to protecting worker rights, to defending and strengthening labor around the world.  I think both presidents see it the same way.  Workers, labor are at the heart of our successes as countries; we are both building economies from the bottom up and the middle out.  Here again, the Partnership for Workers’ Rights that the two presidents signed – stopping worker exploitation, focusing on forced labor, on child labor, promoting rights around the world – here again, our countries are joined. And we have a joint action plan as well to eliminate racial and ethnic discrimination and promote equality, equitable access to education, to health care, to justice, particularly for people of African and indigenous origin. I mention all of this because it was really at the heart of the conversation that I had with President Lula yesterday, and aspects are also at the heart of the G20 agenda, which Brazil is leading.  And the other main purpose of this visit was to take part in a meeting with the foreign ministers led by Foreign Minister Vieira to prepare the agenda for the leaders when they have the meeting of the G20 leadership toward the end of this year.  Here again, Brazil and the United States are working very closely together as partners, and it’s the United States purpose in this to support and make a success of Brazil’s presidency of the G20. In all of the areas of focus that Brazil has set forward – whether, again, it comes to advancing the rights of workers and laborers, whether it comes to dealing with climate change, food security, whether it comes to reforming the institutions that shape how countries interact around the world – we are working hand in hand with Brazil on that. Now, the scope, the scale of some of these global challenges is immense, and I know that there are times when it feels like those challenges are outpacing our collective capacity to tackle them.  But I think what the G20 can demonstrate – it’s demonstrated it in the past and I believe it will demonstrate it in the future – is that, no, we actually do have the capacity when we’re working together, to effectively meet the moment, to meet the challenges that we’re facing, to actually address the needs of the people that we represent. The United States, for its part, is working to do that, and we had some discussion of these issues in the context of the G20. On Ukraine, there is a strong, palpable desire among virtually all of the G20 for the Russian aggression to end and for peace to prevail in a way that upholds the rights of Ukrainians to their freedom, to their future, to the territorial integrity of their country.  And that was very clear in the meetings that we had over the last two days. The conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas – we’re focused intensely on trying to get an agreement that results in the release of the remaining hostages and that produces an extended humanitarian ceasefire.  And again, those are goals that I think virtually everyone in the G20 shares. Haiti – an area that is close to home and close to the hearts of Americans and Brazilians alike – we see a situation that continues to deteriorate, particularly when it comes to the profound insecurity as a result of gangs that are running rampant not only in Port-au-Prince but increasingly beyond.  We see a state that’s on the verge of becoming a failed state, and the result is that people are suffering tremendously – not only from the violence, including sexual violence, but just from the inability to get the basic necessities of life. Today we had a meeting that involved a number of countries, all of whom will be contributing to the mission to help provide renewed security for Haiti that was endorsed by the United Nations last fall and that we’re now making – making real.  We have a commitment from Kenya to lead this effort in support of the Haitian National Police, and today we had a – as I said, a meeting with well more than a dozen countries, each of whom is contributing or plans to contribute significantly to this mission with personnel, with equipment, with training, and with financial resources.  And I think today we had at least another $120 million committed to that effort. We’re working together to deal with irregular migration, a challenge that countries around the world are facing in this moment.  This is, simply put, a challenge of historic proportions.  We see more people on the move now around the planet – not only in our own hemisphere, but around the planet – more people than ever before since we’ve been recording these numbers.  But here again, we’re working collectively to try to address the challenge. And then in so many other places around the world where there is conflict, where there is insecurity, the United States, working with other countries, is trying to make a change and trying to make a difference – whether it’s in Sudan, whether it’s in the eastern DRC, Ethiopia, Somalia.  We’re working in all of these places to try to deal with insecurity and also, more broadly in Africa, with a very strong, affirmative agenda which I was able to highlight on my recent visit. Finally, beyond security, we are putting together new coalitions of countries and organizations to meet shared challenges in new ways.  We have a global partnership now to direct investment in infrastructure in ways that create a race to the top, not a race to the bottom – to make sure that as we pursue infrastructure projects in countries around the world and direct investment in that direction, we’re doing it in a way that doesn’t saddle countries with debt, that respects the rights of workers, the environment, transparency.  That coalition – including here in Brazil – is increasingly focused on concrete projects and putting the resources into them. We have countries – well more than a hundred countries – that have come together to meet a Global Methane Pledge, the largest single contributor to global warming, to cut emissions by 30 – methane emissions 30 percent by 2030.  That will have a powerful impact. And as I’ve discussed many times, we now have a global coalition to deal with what is now the number one killer of Americans at age 18 to 49: synthetic opioids – in the case of the United States, fentanyl, but in the case of many other countries, we see methamphetamines, we see ketamine, we see tramadol.  This is one of the new challenges that increasingly countries around the world are being attentive to, because they need to be.  And this was also a subject at the G20. Finally, even as we’re trying to work on issues of peace and security, even as we’re dealing with these broad transnational challenges that no one country can effectively deal with alone, we also have to be reinvesting in and updating the international institutions that bring us all together to deal with these challenges.  That was the subject of today’s session of the G20.  We have to have institutions that are more reflective of the world as it is today, not the world as it was when these institutions were created, most of them 80 years ago.  We have to have institutions that are more responsive and more effective in meeting the challenges of today. So the United States has been leading in these efforts too.  We’re leading the effort to expand the United Nations Security Council, both in terms of permanent and non-permanent members, so that it better reflects today’s world, today’s realities.  We’re looking and working to sharpen the UN’s focus on the most critical emerging issues of the day and emerging opportunities, starting with artificial intelligence.  The resolution that we have before the United Nations General Assembly is a way to set a foundation to make sure that artificial intelligence is used in a way that is safe, that’s trustworthy, and that actually advances progress on issues that matter to people, including achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. We’re working to make the international financial institutions more responsive, more effective, more efficient in ways that create access to capital for countries that need it, to concessional financing, and to dealing with the huge debt burdens that so many countries face.  We’re amplifying the voice of emerging markets and developing countries throughout these institutions.  And we’re working as well to mobilize private capital to make sure that it’s directed the right places in the right ways. In all of these ways, the United States is helping to lead the effort to make sure that the institutions that bring us together and where we’re working together are more reflective of today’s world and more effective in meeting its challenges.  This is in so many ways a moment of tremendous testing for all of us.  In the more then 30 years that I’ve been engaged in these issues in government, I can’t think of a time when there’s been a greater multiplicity, a greater complexity, a greater interconnectedness of the challenges we’re facing.  And I think that only underscores the importance of doing more than ever before in working together, in cooperating, in coordinating, in communicating. The powerful reality is this:  No one country alone has the capacity to deal with these challenges effectively.  But when we work together, when we focus our efforts on common goals, I think we’ve demonstrated in the past and we will demonstrate in the future that there’s nothing we can’t actually achieve.  Thank you. MR PATEL:  We’ll first go to Courtney McBride from Bloomberg News. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Courtney, I’m getting my pen out in case there are multiple questions, and — QUESTION:  I’ll try to keep it brief and onto one topic, Mr. Secretary.  Thanks.  Despite the U.S. and other countries’ efforts to isolate Russia, which yesterday you called the world’s leading exporter of instability, it remains actively engaged on the global stage, including with Foreign Minister Lavrov’s participation in this week’s ministerial.  So how does that fact complicate efforts to respond collectively to global challenges, and how did it affect this week’s meetings? And then continuing on Russia, President Biden said that new sanctions are coming tomorrow in connection with the two-year anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as the death of Aleksey Navalny.  The Kremlin reportedly has warned Navalny’s widow not to return to Russia, and his mother is complaining that the Russian Government is pressuring her into a secret burial.  How do the U.S. and its allies and partners hope to influence or alter Russia’s behavior when previous sanctions have not had that effect?  And further, is a state sponsor of terrorism designation a possible way to further influence Russia?  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Great.  Thanks, Courtney.  So first, I think, again, if you were in the room over the last two days, when it came to, for example, the discussions that we had about the Russian aggression against Ukraine – and not just against Ukraine, against the very principles that are at the heart of the international system that we were here to talk about and hopefully to strengthen – I think if you were in that room, as Foreign Minister Lavrov was, you heard a very strong chorus coming from not – as I said, not just the G7 countries within the G20, but from many others as well, about the imperative of ending the Russian aggression, restoring peace, making sure that Ukrainians are the ones who decide their own future, preserving the territorial integrity of the country. That’s increasingly clear, so I think in a sense it’s actually quite a useful reminder to Russia about what virtually the entire world thinks of this aggression and the strong desire to see it end. And again, there are two reasons for that.  One is the fact that it’s an aggression against the principles at the heart of the system.  The other is that it’s had consequences for countries and people around the world – rising food prices, rising energy prices that have afflicted people largely because of this Russian aggression. Now, we’ve been able to address that in increasingly effective ways, including Ukraine, by pushing the Russian navy back and getting access to the Black Sea again.  Exports through the Black Sea from Ukraine now exceed what they were before the Russian aggression in February of 2022, but I think countries around the world are seeing the impact it’s having on them, and it’s another reason they want it to stop. In terms of new measures and additional sanctions, stay tuned.  They will be forthcoming.  And I’d just say this about Mr. Navalny, someone truly heroic in his life, in his work.  But the fact that Vladimir Putin saw it necessary to persecute, poison, and imprison one man speaks volumes not about Russia’s strength under Putin, but its weakness.  And I think, again, countries around the world, including in the G20, were very clear about what they thought about what happened to Mr. Navalny. MR PATEL:  We’ll go to Fernando David with Band TV. QUESTION:  Hello, Mr. Secretary.  It’s a pleasure to have the opportunity of address you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you. QUESTION:  I’d like to ask you, what is your personal opinion – not the United States, but yours, Mr. Blinken – about President Lula’s statement comparing the situation in Gaza with the Holocaust?  And in addition, if you believe that this kind of statement could spoil or frustrate the Brazilians’ government plans of – presented at this – today’s G20, especially the big changes proposed in the UN Security Council with the inclusion of another country such as Brazil?  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you very much.  First, let me repeat something I said a few minutes ago.  The quality of the conversation, the exchange, with President Lula – I, on behalf of the United States, could not have been more pleased with.  And I’m grateful to him for all of the time he dedicated to our meeting, but also, again, the substance of it.  And as I said, we were focused almost entirely on the very important and powerful common agenda that the United States and Brazil share when it comes to the big challenges of our moment, and doing so in ways that improves the lives of people in Brazil, the United States, and around the world. That was almost the entirety of our conversation, and it’s reflective of the fact that in so many ways the vision that President Lula brings is the same vision that President Biden has.  And as a representative of President Biden, my purpose was really to continue to deepen that common approach and continue to look at practical ways we can advance it. Now, we also have differences on some issues and the way we approach them.  And on this particular question, obviously the comparison of Gaza to the Holocaust we profoundly disagree.  But that’s also something that friends do.  We can have these disagreements, even profound disagreements, on one particular issue or I should say even an aspect of the issue and still continue all of the vital work that we’re doing together. And also, we’re joined in having the shared objectives in this moment of getting hostages out, getting an extended humanitarian ceasefire in, along with more humanitarian assistance, and ending the conflict.  That’s a shared objective.  So I think it’s important to know that was the nature of our conversation, of our exchange.  And we’re committed – we remain committed – to advancing our common agenda, both between the United States and Brazil directly as well as through Brazil’s leadership of the G20. MR PATEL:  We’ll go to Simon Lewis with Reuters. QUESTION:  Thank you.  Secretary Blinken, I wanted to ask a little bit more on the Gaza question.  Coming to the G20 meetings last year, you were able to kind of garner widespread support from members of the G20 with your position on Russia, even citing UN Charter principles that were being breached by the invasion of Ukraine.  This year, we got most of the members of the G20 – or many members of the G20 are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, in contradiction with your own position, highlighted by the fact that the U.S. was forced to use a veto at the UN on that issue. So comparing the last year to this year, is your support for Israel and its war leaving you isolated?  Has it put you on the backfoot? And in a related couple of points, there are continuing warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.  Deconfliction issues and looting are meaning trucks getting aid in make it into Gaza, but they don’t actually reach those in need.  WFP has said its suspending crucial food deliveries to the north of Gaza, and the UN assessment mission that you’ve spoken about hasn’t gone ahead.  What are you doing to address this dire situation?  And can you say whether Israel is really doing all it can to cooperate with those efforts?  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thanks, Simon.  So first, with regard to the UN Security Council resolution, it’s important to start with the – with this clear fact and proposition.  That resolution would not, in and of itself, resulted in a ceasefire.  The question before us is what is the most effective way to move forward – move forward in a way that gets hostages out, gets an extended humanitarian ceasefire, and ultimately leads to the end of the conflict.  And in our judgment, the best way to do that is to exactly what we’re doing right now, which is to work intensely on an agreement on the hostages. This is something I’m involved in virtually very single day, including here, alongside my colleagues, the CIA director Bill Burns, the White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk.  We’re in constant communication and working every aspect of this, because that is the quickest path, the most effective path to get to where everyone wants to go, including everyone at the G20. And as I said, the Security Council resolution, in and of itself, would not produce that.  And indeed, the concern that we had with this particular resolution was twofold.  One was the fact that it was actually silent as to hostages; second, the timing of it was such that at the very moment when, again, the best path forward is to see if we can reach an agreement on the hostages, anything that might in any way undermine that, confuse that, disrupt that effort, is simply counterproductive to what everyone wants to achieve. Now, in terms of what people want to achieve, actually we all share the same goals.  Everyone wants to see an end to this conflict as soon as possible.  Everyone wants to see an end to the suffering of children, women, and men in Gaza, who – so many innocents who’ve suffered and continue to suffer so terribly, who are caught in this crossfire of Hamas’s making.  We all want to see that end as quickly as possible.  And I think all of us are united in wanting to see after Gaza the path forward to a genuinely durable, sustainable peace, to make sure that this never happens again for Israelis and never happens again for Palestinians.  So we’re united in that. And again, in terms of some of the particulars, everyone supports trying to reach a hostage agreement.  Everyone supports having an extended humanitarian ceasefire to allow that agreement to go forward, as well as to dramatically increase humanitarian assistance.  Everyone supports finding a way to end the conflict and move to this path to a durable solution. So I found a lot of commonality on that.  Now, again, there may be differences over tactics, and there may be differences over the Security Council resolution.  But if we’re trying to focus on actually getting results, actually making a change, making a difference, we think what we’re focused on is the best way to do that. In terms of assistance getting in, what I can tell you is this:  There are two things that are a challenge.  One is actually getting the assistance in to Gaza, and here this is something we’ve been working on pretty much every single day over the last four months.  And over time, we were able, first of all, to open the gates to start to allow assistance in.  That was a product of our intense engagement and diplomacy.  Then to expand the places through which assistance was getting through, as well as to expand the assistance itself – all of this has taken a lot of sustained work. But it’s also accurate that every step along the way, we’ve encountered obstacles; we continue to encounter them, and we’re dealing with them virtually every day.  Then once assistance is inside of Gaza, that’s not enough, because it actually has to get to the people who need it.  And there too, there have been many obstacles that we’re trying to work through every single day, including making sure that convoys can proceed in a way that ensures the safety of those who are conducting them.  And that means deconfliction, it means coordination, and that has been insufficient.  So we’re working to improve that, as well as to make sure that – as you pointed out – assistance gets not only to people throughout the southern part of Gaza but actually gets to the many people who need it who remain in the north, some 350,000 people who remain above the Wadi Gaza. So what I can tell you is this:  We are working this quite literally every single day, through our own envoy for assistance, Ambassador David Satterfield and his team; through the work that I and many others in the government are doing, engaging with the different institutions of the United Nations, engaging with the Israeli Government, with the Egyptians, with the Jordanians. The bottom line is this, though:  We need more aid to get in, through more places, to reach more people.  That’s the bottom line, and we want to make sure that we deliver on that. QUESTION:  The (inaudible)? SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Every single day we – we’re engaged.  When an issue arises, we tackle it and we look to see that there’s an adequate response.  So you can take this issue – issue by issue, obstacle by obstacle.  But what we have seen is when we’ve brought up a problem that’s arisen, generally speaking, yes, the Israelis have engaged it.  But we continue to be in a situation where, again, not enough is getting in in the first place, and once it’s in, it’s not effectively getting to everyone who needs it.  That has to be addressed. MR PATEL:  Final question – Camila Zarur, Folha de São Paulo. QUESTION:  Hi, Mr. Secretary.  Before the G20 chancellors reunion, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov criticized the politicization of G20 for addressing issues such as the war in Ukraine.  How do you see this statement?  And have you had any conversation with Mr. Lavrov during the G20 meeting or in the dinner last night? SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you.  The second part of the question first.  I didn’t have any direct conversations with Foreign Minister Lavrov, but we certainly – well, I heard him speak in the meetings and I imagine he heard me speak, and many others as well. Second, in terms of the so-called politicization of the G20, I think Foreign Minister Vieira and a number of other colleagues addressed this very effectively themselves.  If we’re not able to deal with issues of peace and security, then it’s going to be if not impossible at least that much harder to actually deal with what we’re trying to accomplish through the G20.  If you have conflict, if you have insecurity, then actually making progress on food security, on the energy transition, on dealing with climate change, on working to defend and uphold worker rights, that’s either impossible or much more difficult. So it’s very much within the province of the G20 to be talking about these issues and hopefully to find common ways forward.  I think that’s what the people that we represent expect of us.  It’s actually what pretty much people around the world expect of us, because the G20, even though it represents the world’s 20 largest economies, is in many ways also representative of the entire global majority, even countries that are not at the G20 table, although we had a lot of invited countries to the session and I applaud Brazil for doing that. So no, I think it’s clear that this is not the politicization of the G20.  On the contrary, we have a responsibility to try to come together, find a way forward on geopolitical issues that may be divisive, because if we don’t do that the entire rest of the agenda is going to be very, very difficult to achieve. MR PATEL:  Thanks, everybody. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you. MR PATEL:  Thank you. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland’s Remarks on the Two-Year Anniversary of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine 02/22/2024 Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland’s Remarks on the Two-Year Anniversary of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine 02/22/2024 06:02 PM EST Ambassador Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary for Political Affairs Washington, D.C. Center for Security and International Studies (CSIS) UNDER SECRETARY NULAND: Thank you, Max, it is very good to be here with you at CSIS; and thanks to CSIS for decades of incisive research and recommendations for policymakers. I have been a beneficiary myself over many decades. And thanks to everyone who is joining us both in-person and virtually. Well as Max made clear, we all remember where we were two years ago in the months, and days, and hours leading up to Putin’s February 24th, 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. U.S. intelligence, and indeed CSIS’s own reports, had been warning for months about Putin’s massive war plan and the terrible toll that could await Ukraine. Week after week in the winter of 2021/2022, we watched the Russian military take up positions on three sides of Ukraine. The U.S., as you’ll remember, offered negotiations to try to avert Russia’s planned invasion, but those negotiations sputtered quickly, because Putin had already made up his mind. Yet at that time, many still hoped the troop movements were just a pressure tactic, even some Ukrainians believed that. But many feared that if Putin did order his troops in, Russia’s massive military could roll over Kyiv within a week, decapitate Ukraine’s democratic government, and install puppets of Moscow. But that did not happen. Instead, Putin got Newton’s third law, an equal and opposite reaction to everything he hoped to gain: Instead of fleeing, President Zelensky led; Instead of capitulating, Ukrainians fought; Instead of fracturing, the West united; and Instead of shrinking, NATO grew. The U.S. rallied the world to Ukraine’s defense in those early hours, days, and weeks, and we have kept that global coalition of more than 50 nations united for two years standing strongly with Ukraine. The U.S. has provided $75 billion dollars in security, economic, and humanitarian assistance. Europe and our global partners have provided even more—$107 billion in addition to hosting 4.5 million Ukrainian refugees in countries across Europe. And the EU just pledged another $54 billion for Ukraine. Today, NATO is stronger, larger, and better resourced. Finland has joined the defensive alliance, and we’ll welcome Sweden very soon. Russia is globally isolated. Over 140 nations voted four times in the UN General Assembly to condemn Putin’s brutal invasion. And now Putin is reliant on countries like Iran and North Korea for weapons, while he drives his country deeper and deeper into economic and security arms of China. Global sanctions, the oil-price-cap, and export controls have weakened Russia’s war machine, and these restrictions will get significantly tighter in the coming days as we and our partners announce massive new sanctions packages designed, among other goals, to strangle Russia’s effort at sanctions evasion. In less than two years, Europe broke its dependency on Russian oil, and the U.S. doubled liquified natural gas exports across the Atlantic, helping European partners reduce their dependence on Russian gas from 40% of total consumption to just 13% today. And despite all the immense challenges from Putin’s vicious war machine, Ukraine has survived. Ukraine has retaken more than 50% of the territory seized by Putin’s forces at beginning of the invasion; It has pushed Russia’s Black Sea Fleet out of Sevastopol and off Ukraine’s coast allowing Ukraine to restore grain exports to pre-war levels, helping feed the world once again; And, remarkably, Ukraine’s economy grew by 5% last year, albeit from a pretty low war-torn base. And in case Americans are still asking themselves, if all of this is worth it for us, let’s remember: Without sending a single U.S. soldier into combat, and investing less than one tenth of one year’s defense budget, we have helped Ukraine destroy 50% of Russia’s ground combat power and 20% of its vaunted Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine has taken off the battlefield 21 naval ships, 102 Russian aircraft, and 2,700 Russian tanks. By every measure, Ukraine’s bravery and strength, its resilience, has made the United States safer too. More broadly, our continued support for Ukraine tells tyrants and autocrats everywhere: That we will not stand by while the UN Charter is torn to shreds; That we will defend the rights of free people to determine their own future, and to protect their sovereignty and territorial integrity; And that the world’s democracies will defend the values and principals that keep us safe and strong. But on Ukraine’s frontlines, unless and until the U.S. joins Europe in passing our supplemental funding request, the situation remains dire. Artillerymen are fighting with only 10-20 155mm shells per day to defend themselves; Ukraine, as we saw on the news, has been forced to withdraw from Avdiivka; Kharkiv—one of Ukraine’s proudest Eastern cities—is bombarded daily; And Ukraine’s economy is still fragile with almost 100% of tax revenue going to defense now. Valdimir Putin—in addition to planning anti-satellite weapons in space and bearing responsibility for the death of his most popular opponent, Alexei Navalny—thinks he can wait Ukraine out, and he thinks he can wait out all of us. We need to prove him wrong. With the $60 billion supplemental that the Administration has requested of Congress, we can ensure Ukraine not only survives but thrives. With this support, in 2024, we will can help ensure Ukraine can continue to fight, to build, to recover, and to reform. With this money, Ukraine will be able to fight back in the East and accelerate the asymmetric warfare that his been most effective on the battlefield. And as I said in Kyiv three weeks ago, this supplemental funding will ensure Putin faces some nasty surprises on the battlefield this year. Ukraine can also build. With this money, the U.S. will join 31 other nations in helping Ukraine build the highly deterrent military that it needs to ensure Putin can never come back and do this again. And it will also rebuild its indigenous industrial base and ensure that it can remain on a path to European integration. This support also ensures Ukraine can begin to recover economically and strengthen its tax base by investing in clean energy, in grains and agriculture, steel, defense infrastructure, and in getting internally displaced persons and refugees home to better jobs and safety. One interesting thing is that Patriot systems and other sophisticated air defense systems not only provide battlefield protection, but, as we’ve seen in Kyiv and Odessa, they create bubbles of safety under which citizens can live safely and Ukraine’s economy can rejuvenate. They give people the confidence to come home. This money also supports continued reform, strengthening governance, the judiciary, and draining the grey economy—so that Ukraine can attract foreign investment—and continuing progress on rule of law, accountability, and anti-corruption—all the things that the Ukrainian people have demanded of their government since the 2013 revolution of dignity and before. Our supplemental support will strengthen the Ukraine of today, but also put it on a more sustainable path for tomorrow. And by the way, most of the support we are providing actually goes right back into the U.S. economy and defense industrial base—helping to modernize and scale our own vital defense infrastructure while creating American jobs and economic growth. In fact, the first $75 billion created good-paying jobs in at least 40 states across the U.S. and 90% of this next request will do the same. … In December of 2022, I was in Ukraine on one of the many trips I’ve made in the last couple years, including four trips since the war began. I visited a center in Kyiv, that the U.S. supports, which helps Ukrainian children that have been displaced by the war. There I met a young boy from Kharkiv, with bright eyes and a sweet smile, who had just lost his home to Putin’s barbarity. As part of a therapy session, he and a handful of other kids his age were making little knit dolls out of yellow and blue yarn. Before leaving I asked him if I could keep one. “Da,” he said. I then asked what the doll’s name was. “Patriot,” he answered. It was quiet a moment—a child making a doll, who just lost his home, thinking about patriotism. That’s what war brings. To Ukraine and around the world. I now keep Patriot on my desk as a reminder that the support that the United States provides is not abstract. It’s often the difference between life and death for Ukrainians on the front lines of this fight for Ukraine, and for the future of the free world. It’s a reminder that when Putin launched this vicious campaign, with its war crimes and nuclear blackmail, he not only shattered life for Ukrainians—from Kharkiv to Kyiv to Kherson, from Dnipro to Donetsk, from Lviv to Odessa—but he laid bare the consequences of appeasing tyrants who are intent on conquest. And here I will be blunt: we can’t allow Putin to succeed in his plan to erase Ukraine from the map of free nations. And if Putin wins in Ukraine, he will not stop there, and autocrats everywhere will feel emboldened to change the status quo by force. And for the U.S., the price of defending the free and open international order that we depend on, will go up exponentially. Democracies everywhere will be imperiled. Support for Ukraine is not simply a “nice to have,” it is a vital strategic investment in our own future. Thanks Max and I look forward to our conversation. United States and Brazil Co-Host “Rising to the Challenge on Haiti” Multinational Security Support Mission Ministerial Meeting in Rio de Janeiro 02/22/2024 United States and Brazil Co-Host “Rising to the Challenge on Haiti” Multinational Security Support Mission Ministerial Meeting in Rio de Janeiro 02/22/2024 05:53 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The United States and Brazil co-hosted a ministerial meeting on the margins of the G20 Foreign Minister Meeting to build momentum to enable the successful deployment of a Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti.  Participants discussed the need to support the Haitian people and the Haitian National Police in the face of unprecedented levels of gang violence and destabilization. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken opened the event and Brazil’s Undersecretary for Latin America and the Caribbean Ambassador Gisela Padovan and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed provided opening remarks.  Representatives from the Governments of Kenya and Haiti gave remarks highlighting the urgent need for robust international support to the mission. Benin, Canada, France, Germany, and Jamaica announced financial, personnel, and in-kind commitments to the mission during this event.  The United Nations established a Trust Fund for this mission that is able to receive additional contributions. The United States’ commitment to the people of Haiti and the success of the MSS remains unwavering.  The international community reaffirmed at this event its willingness to answer the Haitian people’s call for help to restore peace and security. Deputy Secretary Campbell’s Meeting with UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Rutley 02/23/2024 Deputy Secretary Campbell’s Meeting with UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Rutley 02/23/2024 08:49 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell met with UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Parliamentary Under Secretary of State David Rutley, MP yesterday in Washington, D.C. Deputy Secretary Campbell and Minister Rutley discussed common interests in the Americas, particularly the situation in Haiti and efforts to establish the Multinational Security Support mission there. They also discussed the importance of the AUKUS partnership in advancing stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Deputy Secretary Campbell’s Meeting with UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Rutley 02/23/2024 Deputy Secretary Campbell’s Meeting with UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Rutley 02/23/2024 08:49 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell met with UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Parliamentary Under Secretary of State David Rutley, MP yesterday in Washington, D.C. Deputy Secretary Campbell and Minister Rutley discussed common interests in the Americas, particularly the situation in Haiti and efforts to establish the Multinational Security Support mission there. They also discussed the importance of the AUKUS partnership in advancing stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Assistant Secretary Stewart Travels to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command 02/23/2024 Assistant Secretary Stewart Travels to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command 02/23/2024 09:17 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability, Mallory Stewart, will travel to Hawaii February 26-March 1 to co-chair the Strategic Policy Dialogue with Australian government officials.  Discussions will focus on strengthening extended deterrence and enhancing regional risk reduction measures. Additionally, Assistant Secretary Stewart will meet with Department of Defense and civil society officials, including a meeting with University of Hawaii students at the East-West Center.  She will also lead a question-and-answer session for fellows attending the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. U.S. Senior Official for the DPRK Pak’s Video Conference with PRC Special Representative on Korean Peninsula Affairs Liu 02/23/2024 U.S. Senior Official for the DPRK Pak’s Video Conference with PRC Special Representative on Korean Peninsula Affairs Liu 02/23/2024 10:33 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson U.S. Senior Official for the DPRK Dr. Jung Pak held a videoconference on February 21 with PRC Special Representative on Korean Peninsula Affairs Liu Xiaoming to discuss the DPRK’s increasingly destabilizing and escalatory behavior and its deepening military cooperation with Russia.  The two sides discussed the need to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the importance of returning to dialogue and diplomacy.  They also discussed the growing military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK, which is in violation of numerous UN Security Council resolutions.  This meeting follows Secretary Blinken’s February 16 meeting with PRC Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the margins of the Munich Security Conference, where the two sides exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and affirmed the importance of continued communications on DPRK issues at all levels. Senior Official Pak stressed the need for all UN Member States to fulfill their obligations and fully implement the UN sanctions regime on the DPRK. Responding to Two Years of Russia’s Full-Scale War On Ukraine and Navalny’s Death 02/23/2024 Responding to Two Years of Russia’s Full-Scale War On Ukraine and Navalny’s Death 02/23/2024 10:23 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson Following Russia’s two years of unprovoked full-scale war, the death of opposition politician and anticorruption activist Aleksey Navalny, and a decade of aggression against Ukraine, the United States is sanctioning more than 500 individuals and entities in Russia and globally. There is a clear link between Russia’s authoritarianism, its domestic crackdown on dissent, and its aggression abroad. Today, we are imposing additional costs on Russia for both its internal repression and foreign aggression. The Department of State is sanctioning three individuals in connection with the death of Navalny in Russian Penal Colony IK-3: the prison warden, regional prison head, and deputy director of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. In addition, the Department is imposing sanctions on more than 250 entities and individuals, including those engaged in sanctions evasion and circumvention, and those bolstering Russia’s future energy and metals and mining production. Along with these actions, the Department is sanctioning several individuals to promote accountability for acts supporting Russia’s war, including by those involved in the unlawful transfer and/or deportation of Ukrainian children. Today’s financial sanctions targets are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024, as amended, which authorizes sanctions with respect to specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation. The Department is also taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Russian Federation-installed purported authorities involved in human rights abuses in connection with the transfer, deportation and confinement of Ukrainian children. Additionally, the U.S. government is issuing a business advisory to assist companies in making informed decisions regarding the risks of conducting business in Russia. PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE DEATH OF ALEKSEY NAVALNY The Department is designating the following three individuals connected to the death of Aleksey Navalny pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(A) for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of the Russian Federation: VALERIY GENNADEVICH BOYARINEV (BOYARINEV) is the Deputy Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, which includes oversight of Penal Colony IK-3. BOYARINEV reportedly instructed prison staff to exert harsher treatment on Aleksey Navalny while he was in detention. Following Navalny’s death, BOYARINEV was promoted to “Colonel General” by decree of Vladimir Putin. IGOR BORISOVICH RAKITIN (RAKITIN) and VADIM KONSTANTINOVICH KALININ (KALININ) are officials in the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. RAKITIN is the overall head of the Federal Penitentiary Service of1322 Russia for the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region, in which Penal Colony IK-3 is located. KALININ is the warden of Penal Colony IK-3. CONSTRAINING RUSSIA’S FUTURE ENERGY PRODUCTION AND EXPORTS Further Sanctions on Entities Involved in the Arctic LNG 2 Project The Department continues to designate entities involved in the development of Russia’s future energy production and export capacity. Today, the Department is designating two major entities involved in the financing and construction of highly specialized liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers designed specifically for Limited Liability Company Arctic LNG 2 (LLC Arctic LNG 2), the operator of the Arctic LNG 2 project, as well as several other entities involved in Arctic LNG 2 and other future energy projects in Russia. Construction and development of the Arctic LNG 2 Project has relied on foreign service companies’ expertise and technology to significantly expand Russia’s future LNG export capacity. These actions follow the Department of State’s designation of LLC Arctic LNG 2 in November 2023, as well as multiple other entities involved in the development of the Arctic LNG 2 project. These designations have already produced delays in the project exports and resulted in significant increases in the project’s construction costs. Today’s actions demonstrate the United States’ continued commitment and resolve to constrain the Arctic LNG 2 project’s production and export capacity. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SHIPBUILDING COMPLEX ZVEZDA is a Russia-based shipbuilding company that is involved in the construction of up to 15 highly specialized LNG tankers intended for use in support of Arctic LNG 2 exports. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the marine sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MODERN MARINE ARCTIC TRANSPORT SPG (SMART LNG) is a Russia-based joint venture to lease new ice-class LNG carriers in support of Arctic LNG 2 exports. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NOVATEK MURMANSK (NOVATEK MURMANSK) is a Russia-based civil engineering construction company. NOVATEK MURMANSK, also known as the Belokamenka shipyard, is involved in the assembly of the gravity-based structures and LNG production lines for the Arctic LNG 2 project. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: AZORIA SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED (AZORIA SHIPPING COMPANY) is a Cyprus-based shipping company intended to acquire a vessel supporting exports from the Arctic LNG 2 project. AZORIA SHIPPING COMPANY‘s global ultimate parent is Joint Stock Company Sovcomflot, a Russian state-owned enterprise. ELIXON SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED (ELIXON SHIPPING COMPANY) is a Cyprus-based shipping company intended to acquire a vessel supporting exports from the Arctic LNG 2 project. ELIXON SHIPPING COMPANY‘s global ultimate parent is Joint Stock Company Sovcomflot, a Russian state-owned enterprise. GLORINA SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED (GLORINA SHIPPING COMPANY) is a Cyprus-based shipping company intended to acquire a vessel supporting exports from the Arctic LNG 2 project. GLORINA SHIPPING COMPANY‘s global ultimate parent is Joint Stock Company Sovcomflot, a Russian state-owned enterprise. Targeting Other Russian Future Energy Projects The Department is also taking action against entities involved in other Russian future energy projects. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GLOBALTEK was established in 2019 to implement and develop the future Yakutia Gas Project. The Department is designating an additional two entities involved in the development and operation of Russia’s Ust-Luga LNG terminal. These actions follow previous sanctions against entities involved in the development of the Ust-Luga LNG terminal. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy: OOO RUSKHIMALYANS (RUSKHIMALYANS) is a Russia-based joint-venture company building an LNG complex at the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga. RUSKHIMALYANS is also the LNG project’s operator. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NEW COMMUNAL TECHNOLOGIES (NKT) is a subsidiary of RUSKHIMALYANS and is involved in transportation services and cargo handling on behalf of RUSKHIMALYANS. Targeting a Major Russian State-Owned Enterprise Supporting Future Energy Projects The Department is targeting a significant geological exploration company wholly owned by the Government of the Russian Federation. JSC ROSGEOLOGIA (ROSGEO) is a Russian state-owned multidisciplinary geological holding company, which provides geological exploration services. Within Russia, ROSGEO and its subsidiaries perform a range of geophysical services in the search and exploration of oil and gas fields. ROSGEO is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation. ROSGEO performs similar operations for hydrocarbon and solid mineral exploration in over a dozen countries, primarily through two subsidiaries, YUZHMORGEOLOGIYA AO and ZARUBEZHGEOLOGIYA AO (ZARUBEZHGEOLOGIYA). YUZHMORGEOLOGIYA AO and ZARUBEZHGEOLOGIA are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the engineering sector of the Russian Federation economy. The following vessels are being identified as property in which YUZHMORGEOLOGIYA AO has an interest: YUZHMORGEOLOGIYA and GELENDZHIK are research vessels operated by YUZHMORGEOLOGIYA AO for the purpose of geophysical exploration and are ultimately managed by ROSEGO. The following entities affiliated with ROSGEO are engaged in activities such as surveying, industrial engineering, and providing engineering-related services in Russia. All eight entities are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the engineering sector of the Russian Federation economy: NPTS NEDRA AO IRKUTSKGEOFIZIKA AO SEVERO VOSTOCHNOE PGO AO SEVERO KAVKAZSKOE PGO AO SIBIRSKOE PGO AO CHELYABINSKGEOSEMKA AO DALNEVOSTOCHNOE PGO AO DALMORNEFTEGEOFIZIKA AO Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the architecture sector of the Russian Federation economy: TSENTRALNOE PGO PAO (TSENTRALNOE PGO) is owned by ROSGEO. TSENTRALNOE PGO provides architectural, engineering, and related services for geological exploration projects in Russia. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following two entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: TULSKOE NIGP AO and VNIGRI GEOLOGORAZVEDKA AO are both ultimately owned or managed by ROSGEO. Both entities are engaged in the manufacture of geophysical and mining equipment Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following two entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: TSENTRKVARTS PAO is managed by ROSGEO and is involved in geophysical exploration work for projects in Russia. SEVERO ZAPADNOE PGO AO is owned by ROSGEO. SEVERO ZAPADNOE PGO AO is engaged in mineral exploration and mining activities. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the engineering sector of the Russian Federation economy: SEVMORNEFTEGEOFIZIKA AO (SMNG) is managed by ROSGEO. SMNG is involved in geophysical exploration and marine exploratory drilling in Russia, as well as for international projects on behalf of the Russian government. The following vessels are being identified as property in which SMNG has an interest. The following five vessels are survey and research vessels used for the purpose of geophysical exploration and are ultimately managed by ROSGEO: AKADEMIK PRIMAKOV PROFESSOR LOGACHEV AKADEMIK LAZEREV AKADEMIK NEMCHINOV PROFESSOR RYABINKIN Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the engineering sector of the Russian Federation economy: JSC POLAR MARINE GEOSURVEY EXPEDITION (PMGRE) is engaged in mineral exploration and prospecting, and is managed by ROSGEO. The AKADEMIK ALEKSANDR KARPINSKIY is being identified as property in which PMGRE has an interest. AKADEMIK ALEKSANDR KARPINSKIYis a survey and research vessel operated by PMGRE for the purpose of geophysical exploration and is ultimately managed by ROSGEO. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following three entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the engineering sector of the Russian Federation economy. These three entities are engaged in scientific engineering research, and are all managed by ROSGEO: VNIGRIUGOL AO VNIIZARUBEZHGEOLOGIYA VZG AO AMIGE AO (AMIGE) The BAVENIT is being identified as property in which AMIGE has an interest. BAVENITis a survey and research vessel operated by AMIGE for the purpose of geophysical exploration and is ultimately managed by ROSGEO. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: URANGEOLOGORAZVEDKA AO (URANGEO) is managed by ROSGEO. URANGEO provides drilling services and related support for geological exploration projects in Russia. Continued Pressure on Rosatom Subsidiaries This is the sixth Russia sanctions action that includes designations of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (Rosatom) subsidiaries. These targets include Rosatom entities supporting Russia’s development of the Arctic region, future business development, and an enterprise of Russia’s nuclear weapons complex. The Department is designating the following entities pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: JOINT STOCK COMPANY RUSATOM ARCTIC (RUSATOM ARCTIC) is a subsidiary of Rosatom that was established in 2023 to aid in Russia’s development of the Arctic region. INNOVATION HUB LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (INNOHUB) is a subsidiary of Rosatom that serves as Rosatom’s business accelerator and includes an investment portfolio, a project office, and a research and development center. FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE ALEXANDROV RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (ALEXANDROV RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY) is a subsidiary of Rosatom described as being a key enterprise of the nuclear weapons complex and involved in designing, testing, and supporting nuclear power and naval propulsion reactors, including for Russian submarines. DISRUPTING SANCTIONS EVASION AND BACKFILLING EFFORTS The Department continues to disrupt the networks and channels through which Russia attempts to procure technology and equipment from third countries to support its war effort. Specifically, these designations target producers, exporters, and importers of items critical to Russia’s defense-industrial base, including common high-priority items identified by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, alongside the EU, UK, and Japan. Entities based in the PRC, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries, continue to send these items and other important dual-use goods to Russia, including critical components that Russia relies on for its weapons systems. Many of these procured components also include U.S.-origin aviation parts from top U.S. manufacturers. Russia has continued to leverage sanctions evasion and circumvention networks to procure aviation and microelectronic components in an effort to sustain its military industrial base and aviation industry, to include expropriated U.S. and European aircraft. Targeting a Pathway for Microelectronics Imports to Russia The Department is designating the following entity pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP DA GROUP 22 (DA GROUP 22) is a Kazakhstan-based company that is receiving common high-priority items from Germany-based company, ELIX ST LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, and is sending common high-priority items to Russia-based company LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY STEK. The end users of these common high-priority items include the Russian military and Russian space and defense manufacturers. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B), the following entity is being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of DA GROUP 22, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: ELIX ST LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (ELIX ST) is a Germany-based company that has supplied common high-priority items to Kazakhstan-based company, DA GROUP 22. Pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(C), the following individual is being designated for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of ELIX ST: YELENA LVOVNA CHERNET is the Managing Director of ELIX ST. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY STEK (STEK) is a Russia-based company involved in the production of electrical wiring works. STEK is receiving common high-priority items from DA GROUP 22. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SET 1 (SET 1) is a Russia-based company involved in the production of radio and television-transmission apparatuses. SET 1 uses microelectronic imports from STEK to develop products for the Russian military. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity and individual are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ELIKS M (ELIKS M) is a Russia-based company involved primarily in the wholesale distribution of industrial machinery and equipment. ELIKS M clients include various Russian defense companies. YEVGENIY OLEGOVICH CHERNET is the General Director and majority shareholder of ELIKS M. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP ELEM GROUP (ELEM GROUP) is a Kazakhstan-based company that has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based, U.S.-designated STRELOI EKOMMERTS. Türkiye-based Entities Supplying Common High-Priority Items to Russia The Department is designating the following entities pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: MBK LOJISTIK MEDIKAL PAZARLAMA SANAYI IC VE DIS TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI (MBK LOJISTIK) is a Türkiye-based company that has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based company, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY A AVERS. OLIMPIK GAMA IC VE TICARET SANAYI LIMITED SIRKETI (OLIMPIK GAMA) is a Türkiye-based company that has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based company, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRADE HOUSE KYUTEK. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRADE HOUSE KYUTEK (TRADE HOUSE) is a Russia-based company that has received common high-priority electronic components supplied by Türkiye-based company, OLIMPIK GAMA. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY A AVERS (A AVERS) is a Russia-based company that has received common high-priority electronic components supplied by Türkiye-based company, MBK LOJISTIK. Türkiye-based Entities Involved in Procuring G7-Origin Aircraft Components for Entities Based in Russia Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy: ALPHA VISIT SHOP FOREIGN TRADE LIMITED COMPANY (ALPHA VISIT) is a Türkiye-based company, founded by a Russian national in May 2022, that supplied aircraft parts to Russia-based companies, including an entity that is Entity Listed by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. A UAE-based Entity Supplying Common High-Priority Items to Russia The Department is designating the following entities pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: ASIA INTERNATIONAL TRADE PROVIDER LLC (ASIA INTERNATIONAL) is a UAE-based company that has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based, U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MDIKAM EK. UAE-based Entities Involved in Procuring G7-Origin Aircraft Components for Entities Based in Russia The Department is designating the following entity pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy: POLARSTAR LOGISTICS LLC (POLARSTAR) is a UAE-based company that offers cargo shipping services from the UAE to Russia. POLARSTAR is listed as an S7 Airlines representative office and acts as a cargo agent in the UAE on behalf of S7 Airlines, which is Entity Listed by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy: S 7 ENGINEERING LLC (S7 ENGINEERING) is a Russia-based company that offers maintenance services for U.S. and European-built aircraft and components in Russia and other countries. S7 ENGINEERING procures aircraft parts, including G7-origin components, from UAE-based companies. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, S7 ENGINEERING: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ANGAR (ANGAR) is solely owned by S7 ENGINEERING. ANGAR is primarily engaged in renting, buying, selling, managing, and appraising real estate. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy: MIRAGE AIR CRAFT SERVICES SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP LLC is a UAE-based company that supplied aircraft parts to the Russia-based company S7 ENGINEERING. CRYNOFIST AVIATION FZCO is a UAE-based company that supplied Russian aviation companies with G7-origin aircraft parts. RBG SOLUTION FZE is a UAE-based company that supplied G7-origin aircraft parts to the Russia-based company, S7 ENGINEERING. PRC-based Entities Involved in Procuring Electronic Components for Entities with Ties to the Russian Military The Department is designating the following entities pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: ZHEJIANG OULONG ELECTRIC CO LTD (ZHEJIANG OULONG ELECTRIC) is a private manufacturer of printed circuit boards based in Wenzhou, PRC. From January to October 2023, Zhejiang Oulong Electric supplied Russian entities with more than $2 million worth of products found on the BIS List of Common High Priority Items. ZHEJIANG OULONG ELECTRIC has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based, U.S.-designated INELSO OOO. INELSO OOO was sanctioned by the United States in May 2023 and has also been identified in the Official Journal of the European Union as an entity that has contributed to Russia’s military and technological enhancement or to the development of Russia’s defense and security sector. WUHAN MAIWE COMMUNICATION CO LTD (WUHAN MAIWE) is a PRC-based company that supplies common high priority items to Russian companies. WUHAN MAIWE has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based, U.S.-designated company REGION-PROF LLC. REGION-PROF LLC has procured multiple shipments of common high priority items on behalf of the Russian military and security services. COREBAI MICROELECTRONICS BEIJING COMPANY LIMITED is a PRC-based micro-electronics producer that has Russian distributors, works with SDN listed INELSO OOO, and has a distribution warehouse in Russia. CONSTRAINING RUSSIA’S METALS AND MINING REVENUE The Department of State continues to designate individuals and entities involved in Russia’s metals and mining sector to further constrict Russia’s revenue generation from this key source of funds for the Russian federal budget. Targeting Russia’s Largest Pipe Producer The Department is designating PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY (PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY), Russia’s leading supplier of steel pipe, piping solutions, and related services. PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY also supplied piping for U.S.-designated Nord Stream 2 AG, the project implementation company for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i), for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy. The following five entities, all of which are subsidiaries of PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY, are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TUBES 2000 LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK OIL FIELD SERVICES LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK PREMIUM SERVICES LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK TECHNICAL SERVICE SPS ME FZCO The following additional subsidiaries of PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY are all being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY CHELYABINSK PIPE ROLLING PLANT is the leading supplier of steel pipe, piping solutions, and related services for a variety of sectors of the Russian economy. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK YARTSEVSKIY METALLURGICAL PLANT is a modern casting and rolling factory for the production of long products with a capacity of more than 300 thousand tons per year. JOINT STOCK COMPANY VOLZHSKIY PIPE PLANT is involved in the production of steel pipes, hollow profiles, and fittings. JOINT STOCK COMPANY ORSKIY MACHINE BUILDING PLANT is involved in the production of steel pipes, hollow profiles, and fittings. JOINT STOCK COMPANY PERVOURALSKIY NEW PIPE PLANT produces steel pipes and cylinders. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SINARSKIY PIPE PLANT (SINARSKIY PIPE PLANT) is a specialized enterprise for the production of steel pipes, providing industrial services. JOINT STOCK COMPANY TAGANROG METALLURGICAL PLANT (TAGANROG METALLURGICAL PLANT) produces many types of steel pipes. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SEVERSKIY PIPE PLANT (SEVERSKIY PIPE PLANT) is one of the oldest metallurgical enterprises in Russia and produces various steel pipe products. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SMARTMET manufactures steel tubes, pipes, and related fittings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK PIPELINE SOLUTIONS manufactures steel tubes, pipes, and related fittings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK TAYMIR treats and coats metals. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: INTERNATIONAL COMPANY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK STEEL HOLDING is a subsidiary of PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY and is primarily engaged in holding or owning securities of companies and is involved in financial asset investing. The following two additional subsidiaries of PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SINARATRANSAUTO has worked in the automobiles logistics market since 2005 and provides comprehensive road transportation services for the SINARSKIY PIPE PLANT. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SINARAPROMTRANS (SINARAPROMTRANS) is the only operator of internal railway logistics for the TAGANROG METALLURGICAL PLANT, VOLZHSKIY PIPE PLANT, and SEVERSKIY PIPE PLANT pipe factories, included in the PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY network. Additionally, SINARAPROMTRANS has two divisions in Siberia, which carry out rail delivery of coal from mining sites. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the accounting sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK BUSINESS SERVICES CENTER is a subsidiary of PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY whose main business activities are accounting, bookkeeping, auditing activities, and tax consultancy. Further Targeting Russian Gold Mining The Department is designating KONSTANTIN IVANOVICH STRUKOV (STRUKOV) and PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY UZHURALZOLOTO GROUP OF COMPANIES (JSC UGC), one of Russia’s top ten gold miners. STRUKOV is the founder and majority owner of JSC UGC and was sanctioned by the United Kingdom on November 8, 2023. STRUKOV and JSC UGC are both being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, STRUKOV, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MANAGEMENT COMPANY UGC is owned by STRUKOV. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SOVRUDNIK extracts metal ores and is owned by JSC UGC. JOINT STOCK COMPANY KOMMUNAROVSKIY GOLD MINE is involved in the mining of ores and sands of precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum. Targeting A Russian Aluminum Products Producer The Department is designating JOINT STOCK COMPANY SAMARA METALLURGICAL PLANT (SAMARA METALLURGICAL PLANT), a Russia-based firm that produces a broad assortment of aluminum products and is the largest producer of semi-fabricated aluminum products in Russia. SAMARA METALLURGICAL PLANT is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy. MIKHAIL GRIGORYEVICH SPICHAK (SPICHAK) is the General Director of the SAMARA METALLURICAL PLANT and MAXIM YURYEVICH SMIRNOV (SMIRNOV) is the President of the SAMARA METALLURGICAL PLANT. Both SPICHAK and SMIRNOV are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy. Targeting A Key Russian Metals & Mining Network The Department is targeting a network of Russian mining companies connected to the wealthy Russian Trotsenko family believed to be close to President of Russia Vladimir Putin. The following entities are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: ILLC GEOPROMINING INVESTMENT is involved in activities including security and commodity exchanges among other financial service activities. LLC HOLDING GPM (HOLDING GPM) is involved in activities including investments in securities and financial asset investing. HOLDING GPM is the founder and majority owner of the following four entities which are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, HOLDING GPM, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LLC GEOPROMAINING LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRYAZH INVEST LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GEOPROMAINING VERKHNE MENKECHE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NATSIONALNAYA SURMYANAYA KOMPANIYA (NSK) Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, NSK, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GROSS was founded and is owned by NSK. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY VISMUT is primarily engaged in the mining and enrichment of iron ores. JOINT STOCK COMPANY ZVEZDA is primarily engaged in mining, milling, or otherwise preparing ferroalloy ores. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SARYLAKH SURMA is primarily engaged in mining, milling, or otherwise preparing ferroalloy ores. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AEON MINING is primarily engaged in the mining of ores and sands of precious metals. CONSTRAINING RUSSIA’S WAR EFFORT Entities and Individuals Manufacturing Weapons, Ammunitions, and Other Equipment The Department is continuing to take significant action to disrupt and degrade Russia’s military industrial base and today is targeting nearly 60 entities and individuals involved in the manufacture of weapons, ammunition, and associated materiel. The defense industry entities and individuals included below manufacture weapons, ammunition, and related equipment for the Russian defense sector to support its illegal war against Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY TULA MACHINE BUILDING PLANT (TULAMASHZAVOD) is one of the largest enterprises of the Russian military industrial base manufacturing numerous gun systems for Russian armored vehicles, aircraft, and anti-aircraft systems. EVGENII ANATOLEVICH DRONOV is the Director General of TULAMASHZAVOD. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY IMPERIAL TULA ARMS PLANT (IMPERIAL TULA ARMS PLANT) manufactures high-precision antitank guided missiles and various small arms for the Russian military. GUN-MAKING COMPANY LEVSHA-T LLC manufactures small arms and is wholly owned by IMPERIAL TULA ARMS PLANT. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SCIENTIFIC AND PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION PRIBOR NAMED AFTER S.S. GOLEMBIOVSKY (JSC NPO PRIBOR) is one of Russia’s largest manufacturers of small-caliber ammunition and weapons systems for use by the Russian military. YURI ALEXANDROVICH NABOKOV is the General Director of JSC NPO PRIBOR. JOINT STOCK COMPANY NOVOSIBIRSK MECHANICAL PLANT ISKRA (NMZ ISKRA) manufactures ammunition, explosives and other specialized components for the Russian defense industry. JOINT STOCK COMPANY VERKHNYAYA SALDA CHEMICAL CONTAINER PLANT (AO VZKHE) manufactures missile technology for the Russian defense industry. JSC IZHEVSK MOTOR PLANT AKSION HOLDING (AKSION HOLDING) manufactures equipment for control systems for the Topol-M and Yars missile systems, as well as communication and information processing systems. GENNADY IVANOVICH KUDRYAVTSEV is the Director General of AKSION HOLDING. JOINT STOCK COMPANY VOSKRESENSKY AGGREGATION FACTORY (JSC VAF) assembles antiaircraft guided missiles, air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles, and cruise missiles for use by the Russian military. ALEKSANDR VIACHESLAVOVICH SYCHUGOV is the General Director of JSC VAF. FEDERAL STATE ENTERPRISE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION KAZAN PLANT OF PRECISION ENGINEERING (NPO KZTM) manufactures explosives for the Russian defense industry. JSC SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN BUREAU NAMED AFTER M SIMONOV (OKB SIMONOV) develops and produces unmanned aerial systems and aerial training targets. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRIMIX (3MX) manufactures electronic warfare systems and anti-UAV systems used by the Russian military. CENTRAL RESEARCH RADIO ENGINEERING INSTITUTE NAMED AFTER ACADEMICIAN A I BERG (TSNIRTI BERG) builds satellite and radar equipment for contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE EKRAN (EKRAN) works on the development, production, testing, and repair of aviation equipment used by the Russian Ministry of Defense. JOINT STOCK COMPANY ARZAMAS MACHINE BUILDING PLANT (ARZAMAS) manufactures armored vehicles used by the Russian military in Ukraine. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPANY (MIC) develops and manufactures armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and armored cars for the Russian military. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SPECIAL DESIGN BUREAU OF TRANSPORT MECHANICAL ENGINEERING (SPETSMASH) develops and manufactures armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery, and other specialized equipment for the Russian military. JOINT STOCK COMPANY ASTEIS manufactures armored vehicles for the Russian defense industry. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SPECIAL DESIGN BUREAU OF INSTRUMENT MAKING AND AUTOMATION (SKB PA) develops and manufactures electro-hydraulic, electromechanical, navigation, and control systems for mobile robotic complexes for the Russian defense industry. FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE STATE RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION ENTERPRISE BAZALT (NPO BAZALT) is involved in the design and construction of air launched ordnance, rocket propelled grenades, and armored fighting vehicle ammunition. NPO BAZALT was designated pursuant to E.O. 13662 on July 16, 2014. OTKRYTOE AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO NOVO-VYATKA (NOVO-VYATKA) manufactures various technical equipment with defense applications. NOVO-VYATKA was designated pursuant to E.O. 13662 on December 22, 2015. NIKOLAY VLADIMIROVICH PORKHACHEV (PORKHACHEV) is the General Director of NPO BAZALT, and was the temporary General Director of OTKRYTOE AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO NOVO-VYATKA. FARID KHABIBULLOVICH ABDRAKHMANOV is the General Director of JOINT STOCK COMPANY EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN BUREAU NOVATOR, which develops and produces cruise missiles, including the Kalibr cruise missile, and was designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 in September 2023. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRADING HOUSE LOBAEV ARMS (LOBAEV ARMS) is a company registered in Russia that manufactures weapons and ammunition. VLADISLAV YEVGENYEVICH LOBAEV (VLADISLAV LOBAEV) is the founder of LOBAEV ARMS. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY LOBAEV ROBOTICS (LOBAEV ROBOTICS) is a company registered in Russia that manufactures weapons and ammunition. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CONSTRUCTION BUREAU OF INTEGRATED SYSTEMS (LLC KBIS) is a company registered in Russia that produces weapons and ammunition. ELENA ANATOLYEVNA LOBAEVA (ELENA LOBAEVA) is a founder and owner of LLC KBIS. FUND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WEAPONS TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTION LOBAEV FOUNDATION (LOBAEV FOUNDATION) is registered in Russia and its programs include the development of precision small arms technologies, development of the production of precision weapons, development and modernization of specialized UAVs, and development and supply of special equipment. NIKOLAY YEVGENYEVICH LOBAEV (NIKOLAY LOBAEV) is a shareholder, director, and legal representative of LOBAEV ARMS. Entities Supporting Russia’s Military Industrial Base The Department continues to designate entities involved in the development of advanced technologies and high-tech machine tools being used to substitute production of goods Russia can no longer import, as well as entities involved in the manufacture of weapons and ammunition supporting Russia’s defense industry. The Department is designating the following entities involved in the development of additive manufacturing (3D printing) and computer numerical control (CNC) technologies, among other individuals and entities within the Russian military industrial base. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY ELEKTRONNAYA MOSKVA is contracted to cover technical support and maintenance of Moscow’s facial recognition system. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 2050 ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGIES is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OFFICE TECHNOLOGY JETCOM is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NPC ANTEY is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MAKETIR is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ENGINEERING CENTER OF ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGIES is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NOVAPRINT 3D is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ONSINT is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TPK FOLIPLAST is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SPRUT TECHNOLOGY is a Russia-based company that develops software for computer numerical control machines. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CENTER SPRUT T is a Russia-based company that develops software for computer numerical control machines. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DIAPAZON is a supplier of electronic components throughout Russia. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY KLINTSOVSKIY MOBILE CRANE PLANT is one of the largest and most reputable manufacturers of lifting equipment in Russia. The plant produces modern automobile and crawler cranes. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GALIKA MET repairs metalworking machines and is involved in the sale of machinery and equipment. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GALIKA SKD is involved in the sale of woodworking machines. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GALIKA TSENTR TEKHNOLOGI I SERVIS is an industrial machinery and equipment wholesaler headquartered in Russia. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GALIKA SERVIS repairs machinery and equipment. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PROIZVODSTVENNYE RESHENIYA is involved in the machining of metal products, manufacture of metalworking machines, and manufactures of other machine tools. JOINT STOCK COMPANY PROIZVODSTVENNOE OBEDINENIE FORT (JSC PO FORT) operates in the machinery wholesale industry. DIANA EVGENEVNA KALEDINA is the Director General of JSC PO FORT. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MACHINE BUILDING FACTORY FORT is involved in the machining of metal products, manufacture of metalworking machines, and manufactures of other machine tools. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SASOVSKI LITEINY ZAVOD operates in the casting of iron industry. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MANAGEMENT COMPANY ABAMET is a Russia-based industrial machinery and equipment wholesale company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HERMLE VOSTOK is a Russia-based industrial machinery and equipment wholesale company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ATM GRUPP is a Russia-based machinery wholesale company that supplies CNC machines. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INZHENERNO TEKHNOLOGICHESKI TSENTR ATM is a Russia-based machinery wholesale company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ATM TEKHNOLODZHI is a Russia-based machinery wholesale company that supplies high-quality metalworking equipment. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KNAUER ENGINEERING is a Russia-based company that operates in the Industrial Machinery Repair and Maintenance industry. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AMS TEKHNIKA is a Russia-based company involved in the wholesale distribution of industrial machinery and equipment. JOINT STOCK COMPANY JOINT TECHNOLOGICAL ENTERPRISE PERM PLANT OF METAL WORKING CENTERS (PZMC) manufactures CNC metalworking machines, lathes, turn-milling, and milling machines including the PROTON T series machines. JOINT STOCK COMPANY MEKHANIKA produces advanced industrial equipment for high-performance turning and milling of steels and alloys. JOINT STOCK COMPANY KOVROV ELECTROMECHANICAL PLANT (KEMZ) designs and manufactures a variety of multifunctional turning, milling, and turn-mill machining CNC machines and associated equipment. AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO TOZ-METIZ manufactures high-precision fasteners and other hardware for the Russian defense industry and is wholly owned by IMPERIAL TULA ARMS PLANT. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NATIONAL CENTRE FOR INFORMATION SECURITY is a Russia-based company that develops counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems and develops information security systems that are used by multiple Russian government agencies. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NEIT is a Russia-based company and is involved in the wholesale trade of electronic equipment and its spare parts. Countering Russia-Iran Military Cooperation and Arms Proliferation The Department remains focused on highlighting and disrupting the ongoing military cooperation between Iran and Russia to further Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine. In December 2022 and October 2023, we designated numerous Russian and Iranian entities for their involvement in the proliferation of arms including transfers of UAVs from Iran for Russia’s use against Ukraine, conventional arms and related materiel from Iran to Russia, and major weapons systems from Russia to Iran, including the Yak-130 combat aircraft. Today, we continue these efforts by designating the Iranian MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND ARMED FORCES LOGISTICS (MODAFL) for the first time under a Russia-related sanctions authority, as well as two shipping companies that have previously been involved in arms related transfers between Iran and Russia. At least as of 2022, ROSOBORONEKSPORT OAO had worked through MODAFL to facilitate Iranian munitions transfers to Russia. Additionally, MODAFL worked with other Iranian military entities to facilitate the transfer of armed UAVs to Russia beginning in 2022. This action aligns with the Department of the Treasury’s designations today of a network of entities and individuals that has supported efforts by the Government of the Russian Federation and MODAFL to establish a facility in Russia to supply the Russian military with one-way attack UAVs, such as the Shahed-136 UAVs, and the Russian version, the Geran-2, for use in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B), the following entity is being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of ROSOBORONEKSPORT OAO, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND ARMED FORCES LOGISTICS (MODAFL) is the Iranian Ministry of Defense and has been involved in transfers of major weapons systems between Russia and Iran. MODAFL was previously designated pursuant to E.O. 13382, E.O. 13224, and E.O. 13949. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the marine sector of the Russian Federation economy: DALIR LTD is a Russian shipping company based in Astrakhan, Russia on the Caspian Sea. Additionally, DALIR LTD previously transported military-related cargo for delivery to the Iranian military on behalf of ROSOBORONEKSPORT OAO, Russia’s sole state-controlled intermediary agency for exporting and importing the entire range of military, defense, and dual-use products, technologies, and services. ROSOBORONEKSPORT OAO is designated pursuant to E.O. 14024, E.O. 13949, E.O. 13582 and E.O. 13662. Pursuant to the Order, the following vessels are being identified as property in which DALIR LTD has an interest: ALIREZA 1 and BALTIYSKIY-111. ALIREZA 1 and BALTIYSKIY-111 are general cargo ships. LADOGA SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (LADOGA LTD) is a Russian shipping company based in Astrakhan, Russia on the Caspian Sea. Additionally, LADOGA LTD vessels previously made port calls in Russian-occupied Crimea and transported military-related cargo for delivery to the Iranian military on behalf of ROSOBORONEKSPORT OAO. Pursuant to the Order, SKIF-V is being identified as property in which LADOGA LTD has an interest. SKIF-V is a general cargo ship. Disrupting Russia-DPRK Munitions Transfers The Department will continue to disrupt and expose arms transfers between the DPRK and Russia. As part of that ongoing effort, the Department is designating two additional entities that have been involved in the transfer of munitions from the DPRK to Russia. Since September 2023, the DPRK has delivered more than 10,000 containers of munitions or munitions-related materials to Russia. Russia has imported shipping containers carrying military-related cargo from the DPRK through Vostochny Port for use in the Ukraine conflict since early October 2023. Specifically, more than 7,400 containers of munitions and munitions-related materials have been delivered to Russia through the VOSTOCHNAYA STEVEDORING COMPANY LLC (VSC)-owned terminal at Vostochny Port. Containers of munitions and munitions-related materials have also been delivered to Russia through the nearby DUNAY PROBABLE NAVAL MISSILE FACILITY. These designations follow the Department’s designations of several other entities and individuals involved in munitions transfers from the DPRK to Russia in July, September, and December 2023 as well as designations of entities involved in the transfer of ballistic missiles from the DPRK to Russia in January 2024. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the marine sector of the Russian Federation economy: VOSTOCHNAYA STEVEDORING COMPANY LLC (VSC) manages a terminal at Vostochny Port in Russia’s far east through which more than 7,400 containers of munitions and munitions-related materials have been delivered from the DPRK. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: DUNAY PROBABLE NAVAL MISSILE FACILITY is a Russian naval base and port facility that has been involved in the transfer of munitions from the DPRK to Russia. Targeting Third-Party Support to Russia’s Defense Sector The Department continues to be vigilant against entities and individuals in third countries that provide support to Russia’s defense sector. Today’s actions demonstrate that we will not hesitate to take action under all relevant authorities against those engaging in transactions with or providing other forms of support to Russia’s defense sector. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: JSC 558 AIRCRAFT REPAIR PLANT is a Belarusian defense company that maintains and repairs aircraft equipment and trains other personnel in the repair and operation of certain aviation materiel. JSC 558 AIRCRAFT REPAIR PLANT retains close ties to the Russian defense sector and was previously designated pursuant to E.O. 14038 on February 24, 2022. PAVEL IVANOVICH PINIGIN is the former director of JSC 558 AIRCRAFT REPAIR PLANT. PRO HELI INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LIMITED (PRO HELI) is a Uganda-based joint venture with the National Enterprises Corporation that provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for Uganda’s fleet of Russian-origin helicopters. Additionally, PRO HELI maintains a partnership with the JSC 558 AIRCRAFT REPAIR PLANT and has procured weapons from U.S.-designated Russian arms companies as recently as 2023. VALERII COPEICHIN is the CEO of PRO HELI and has previously been named in a United Nations report for involvement in weapons shipments to South Sudan. Continued Pressure on Private Military Companies The Department is continuing our efforts to expose and disrupt the activities of Russian private military companies and individuals supporting Russia’s war aims against Ukraine. Despite the demise of the PMC Wagner’s Yevgeniy Prigozhin, today’s actions highlight our focus on countering the malign activities of such groups and individuals operating in Ukraine and elsewhere. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities and individual are being designated for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANY CONVOY (PMC CONVOY) is a private military company operating in Ukraine. KONSTANTIN ALEXANDROVICH PIKALOV is a leader of PMC CONVOY operating in Ukraine. AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO KONSALT is the new legal form of the PMC Wagner Center in Saint Petersburg, Russia. ALEXEY VASILYEVICH TENSIN is the former leader of PMC Wagner Center and a former manager at JSC Concern Kalashnikov. Pursuant to section 1(a)(ii)(F), the following individuals are being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: ANDREI NIKOLAEVICH TROSHEV is a former senior leader of PMC Wagner and reportedly now holds a position in the Russian Ministry of Defense. ANTON OLEGOVICH ELIZAREV is a former commander in PMC Wagner. STANISLAV ALEXANDROVICH ORLOV is a commander of a private military company that has operated in Ukraine. MIKHAIL VICTOROVICH TURKANOV is a member of a private military company that has operated in Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, JOINT STOCK COMPANY BARNAUL CARTRIDGE PLANT, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: SHOOTING CENTER ALTAY SHOOTING LTD (SHOOTING CENTER ALTAY) is a shooting range owned by JOINT STOCK COMPANY BARNAUL CARTRIDGE PLANT. Additionally, Shooting Center Altay reportedly has been used by PMC Wagner-affiliated individuals to conduct trainings. Continued Targeting of Russian State-Owned Enterprises The Department is further targeting Russian state-owned enterprises in the automotive sector, which continues to be a key aspect of the Russian military industrial base, as well as the state-owned enterprise involved in the development of the Russian Far East and Russian Arctic regions. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designed for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: JOINT STOCK COMPANY FAR EAST AND ARCTIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (JSC KRDV) is the management company responsible for coordinating investment projects in the Free Port of Vladivostok, the Special Administrative Region on Russky Island, and the advanced special economic zones in the Far Eastern and Arctic regions of Russia. The following ten entities are majority owned by JSC KRDV and coordinate future energy and mining projects, among others, in their respective titular region. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), all ten entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, JSC KRDV: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV PRIMORYE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV AMURSKAYA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV BURYATIYA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV CHUKOTKA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV KAMCHATKA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV MURMANSK LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV SAKHALIN AND KURILY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV YAKUTIYA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV YUZHNAYA YAKUTIYA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV ZABAYKALYE Pursuant to section 1(a)(iv), the following entity is being designated for being a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of the Russian Federation: FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE CENTRAL ORDER OF THE RED BANNER SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AUTOMOBILE AND AUTOMOTIVE ENGINES INSTITUTE NAMI (NAMI) is the parent company of several entities conducting engineering research, manufacturing, and sales of automotives in Russia. NAMI is included in a list of strategic enterprises essential for the national defense and security of Russia and is subordinate to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, NAMI, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AUTO HOLDING (AUTO HOLDING) is a Russia-based holding company owned by NAMI. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following NAMI-affiliated entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SHUSHARY AVTO produces motor vehicles. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AURUS produces motor vehicles. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FIBET NAMI ADVANCED ENGINEERING is an automobile and auto parts company located in Russia and conducts sales of spare parts and accessories for cars and industrial vehicles. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NAMI INNOVATIVE COMPONENTS produces components and accessories for motor vehicles. PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR MALIGN ACTORS The Department is also taking further action today to target a range of individuals and entities involved in supporting the Russian government’s war effort and other malign activities. Targeting a Russian Proxy Authority in Occupied Territories of Ukraine VITALIY VIKTOROVICH BULYUK (BULYUK) is a so-called deputy head of the Russian-backed military-civilian administration of the Kherson Region. BULYUK is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(ii)(F) for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation. Targeting Individuals Supporting Russia’s Expropriation of Foreign Companies The Department continues to impose sanctions to highlight the Government of the Russian Federation’s seizure of Russian subsidiaries of foreign companies. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following individuals are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: VASILI VLADISLAVOVICH NIKONOV was appointed interim CEO of PJSC Unipro, the Russian subsidiary of Germany’s Uniper that has been placed under “temporary control” by the Government of the Russian Federation. VYACHESLAV EVGENEVICH KOZHEVNIKOV was appointed the interim CEO of PAO Forward Energo, the Russian subsidiary of Finland’s Fortum that has been placed under “temporary control” by the Government of the Russian Federation. Targeting Russia’s Malign Influence in Moldova The Department is imposing sanctions on MARINA TAUBER (TAUBER), chief representative in Moldova of ILAN MIRONOVICH SHOR (SHOR), a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order. During last year’s local elections, TAUBER helped the fugitive, U.S.-sanctioned SHOR shift his party apparatus from the U.S.-sanctioned SHOR PARTY to other parties and subvert Moldova’s electoral process through illegal vote buying on behalf of the Kremlin. SHOR has demonstrated his intent to use his malign criminal network, and TAUBER as his chief representative, to wage similar subversion campaigns in upcoming election cycles. Moldovans deserve free and fair democratic processes. The United States supports Moldova’s progress on democratic and economic reforms and a future free from the grip of the Kremlin’s malign influence. We will continue to promote accountability for those who try to subvert the will of the Moldovan electorate. TAUBER is described as SHOR’s second-in-command and has directed the operations of SHOR’s malign networks in Moldova, as well as operations of the SHOR PARTY, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order. TAUBER is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, SHOR, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order. The Network of Sergey Gordeev SERGEY EDUARDOVICH GORDEEV (GORDEEV) is a Russian businessman whose ventures have benefitted from connections to SULIEMAN ABUSAIDOVICH KERIMOV and SERGEY SEMYONOVICH SOBYANIN, persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order. GORDEEV is the founder, general manager, and owner of LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HOLDING FINANCE. GORDEEV is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy. Additionally, two of GORDEEV’s affiliated companies have allegedly been recruiting contract soldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HOLDING FINANCE (HOLDING FINANCE) is involved in investments in securities and dealer activities. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PIK PLUS (PIK PLUS) is involved in investments in securities and dealer activities. INTERNATIONAL COMPANY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY LEDAMEN (LEDAMEN) is located in Kaliningrad, Russia and is involved in investments in securities. Additionally, GORDEEV is the General Director of LEDAMEN. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INZHTEPLOPROGRESS (INZHTEP) is a construction company located in Russia. INZHTEP is allegedly involved in the recruitment of contract soldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY PIK SPECIALIZED HOMEBUILDER (PIK) is a construction company located in Russia. Additionally, GORDEEV was the head of PIK until September 28, 2022. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, PIK, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PIK KORPORATSIYA (PIK KORPORATSIYA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of PIK and is involved in construction activities. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, PIK KORPORATSIYA, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PIK GENPODRYAD (GENPODRYAD) is majority owned by PIK KORPORATSIYA. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, GENPODRYAD, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GENERAL CONTRACTOR MFS (GP-MFS) is owned by GENPODRYAD. GP-MFS is allegedly involved in the recruitment of contract soldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Network of Andrey Komarov ANDREY ILYICH KOMAROV (KOMAROV) is a Russian businessman active in various sectors of the Russian Federation economy. Ministry of Trade and Industry officials within the Government of the Russian Federation have planned to use ANDREY KOMAROV as a front man to acquire companies for Rostec. KOMAROV is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy. KOMAROV is also the founder and owner of LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SEPTEMBER (SEPTEMBER), which is active in the construction sector. SEPTEMBER is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, KOMAROV, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OKTYABR (OKTYABR) is solely owned by KOMAROV and is a facilities management company for KOMAROV’s companies. The Department is taking action to target a wide range of additional entities connected to KOMAROV’s corporate network. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CYBERSTEEL (CYBERSTEEL) is one of Russia’s leading suppliers of stainless-steel tubular products. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CYBERSTEEL ALABUGA (CYBERSTEEL ALABUGA) is involved in the manufacturing of steel pipes, hollow profiles and fittings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CYBERSTEEL PROJECT 2 (CYBERSTEEL PROJECT 2) is involved in the manufacturing of steel pipes, hollow profiles and fittings. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HS INVESTMENTS (HS INVESTMENTS) is a Russia-based holding company. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HS INVESTMENTS, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PRESSMAN SOFT PACKAGING NOVGOROD is involved in the manufacturing of other paper and cardboard products in Velikiy Novgorod, Russia. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PRESSMAN PREMIUM PACKAGING NOVGOROD (PRESSMAN PREMIUM PACKAGING NOVGOROD) is a Russia-based company that operates in the paper product manufacturing industry. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PRESSMAN PREMIUM PACKAGING SPB (PRESSMAN PREMIUM PACKAGING SPB) manufactures paper and cardboard products in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY START (START) is a Russia-based holding company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HYPERSPACE (HYPERSPACE) is a Russia-based holding company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY THREEAGRO (THREEAGRO) is a Russia-based holding company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GORA GOLDEN RATIO (GORA) is a Russia-based holding company. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GORA GOLDEN RATIO, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KAMCHATSKAYA GORNAYA KOMPANIYA is a Russia-based company that was founded by and is solely owned by GORA. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TIKHOOKEANSKAYA GORNAYA KOMPANIYA is a Russia-based company that was founded by and is solely owned by GORA. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the accounting sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DIGITAL CENTER HYPERSPACE is a Russia-based company that operates in the accounting and tax preparation industry. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ZHELTUGINSKAYA MINING COMPANY (ZHELTUGINSKAYA) is a Russia-based company that is involved in the mining of ore and precious metal dusts. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY RIMERA ALNAS (RIMERA ALNAS) is a Russia-based company that operates in the machinery and equipment manufacturing industry. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY IZHNEFTEMASH (IZHNEFTEMASH) is a Russia-based company that operates in the machinery and equipment manufacturing industry. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY RIMERA (LLC RIMERA) is a Russia-based company that operates in the machinery and equipment manufacturing industry. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following are being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FEDOROVO MINERALZ is a holding company in Russia majority owned by START. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FEDOROVO KHOLDING is a holding company in Russia. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY BYSTRINSKAYA MINING COMPANY is a Russia-based company that is involved in the mining of ores of other non-ferrous metals, as well as mining of ores and sands of precious metals. JOINT STOCK COMPANY FEDOROVO RISORSES is a Russia-based company involved in mining of ores of other non-ferrous metals. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the management consulting sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY RIMERA (JSC RIMERA) is a Russia-based company that provides consulting services. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, JSC RIMERA, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY RIMERA SERVIS (RIMERA SERVIS) is a Russia-based company solely owned by JSC RIMERA that provides services to oil and natural gas companies. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY API FAKTORI (API FAKTORI) is a Russia-based company solely owned by JSC RIMERA that conducts research and development in natural sciences and engineering. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HYPERSPACE TECHNOLOGIES (HYPERSPACE TECHNOLOGIES) is a Russia-based company solely owned by JSC RIMERA that conducts computer programming activities. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HYPERSPACE, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY VARNA MINERALS is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in geological exploration and geochemical studies. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GEYSER GOLD is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in geological exploration and geochemical studies. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DATA 51 is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in geological exploration and geochemical studies. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INNOVATIVE EDUCATION is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in real estate management. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TERRA GRUP is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in land purchasing and sales. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY URAL EDUCATIONAL RESIDENCE is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in real estate management. Targeting Individuals Involved in the Forced Transfer, Deportation, and/or “Re-education” of Ukraine’s Children The Department continues to impose sanctions on persons involved in the forcible transfer and/or deportation of Ukraine’s children to camps promoting indoctrination of children in Russia, Belarus, and Russia-occupied Crimea. Today’s actions demonstrate the United States’ commitment to promoting accountability for the atrocities and other abuses inflicted by the Government of the Russian Federation on the people of Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(ii)(F), the following individuals are being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: BORIS VYACHESLAVOVICH GRYZLOV (GRYZLOV) is the current Russian Ambassador to Belarus and is involved in transferring Ukrainian children to Belarus. GRYZLOV has stated that children will continue to be deported from Ukraine as a part of the official policy of the Government of the Russian Federation. DMITRIY FEDOROVICH MEZENTSEV (MEZENTSEV) is the Secretary of State of the Union State between Belarus and Russia. MEZENTSEV is Russia’s former Ambassador to Belarus and has personally helped organize the transportation of children from Ukraine to Belarus. MEZENTSEV announced a resolution from the Union State to “host” 1,050 children from Ukraine in Belarus and has visited camps where deported children from Ukraine are staying. ALEXEY KONSTANTINOVICH TALAI (TALAI) and his foundation have orchestrated the transport of multiple groups of children from Ukraine to Belarus. The deportations to Belarus have been funded by the Union State, an economic and political union between Moscow and Minsk. The Union State had already given tens of millions of rubbles to support TALAI’s efforts. ALLA VIKTOROVNA BARKHATNOVA (BARKHATNOVA) is the so-called Head of the Department of Labor and Social Policy of Russia’s occupation administration in Kherson and stated that occupation authorities in Kherson Oblast are working to increase the number of children who go on “trips” to “health recreation” camps in Russia. BARKHATNOVA is also identified as being personally involved in the transportation of Ukrainian children. VITALIY KONSTANTINOVICH GANCHEV is the Head of the Military-Civilian Administration of Russia’s occupation administration in the Kharkiv Region and is identified as being one of the individuals involved in deporting and “re-educating” Ukrainian children. Pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(A), the following individuals are being designated for being or having been leaders, officials, senior executive officers, or members of the board of directors of the Government of the Russian Federation: VLADIMIR VIKTOROVICH KHROMOV (KHROMOV) is a Representative for the Commissioner of Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation and is involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children from Russia-occupied regions of Ukraine. AKHMED MAKHMUDOVICH DUDAEV (DUDAEV) is the Minister of National Policy, Foreign Relations, Press and Information of Chechnya and organized trips to deport Ukrainian children. Imposing Visa Restrictions on Russian Federation-installed Purported Authorities Involved in Human Rights Abuses in Connection with the Transfer, Deportation and Confinement of Ukraine’s Children Additionally, the Department is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on five Russia-installed purported officials, including one immediate family member, for their involvement in human rights abuses of Ukrainian civilian minors, in connection with the transfer, deportation, and confinement of Ukraine’s children by Russian Federation and Russia-backed authorities. This action is taken under the Immigration and Nationality Act 212(a)(3)(C) visa policy approved by Secretary Blinken in May 2022 to restrict visa issuance to Russian Federation military officials and Russia-backed or Russia-installed purported authorities who are believed to have been involved in human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, or public corruption in Ukraine, and immediate family members of such individuals, as appropriate. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today’s sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with E.O. 14024, as amended, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, all individuals or entities that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. The power and integrity of U.S. government sanctions derive not only from the U.S. government’s ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. Petitions for removal from the SDN List may be sent to: OFAC.Reconsideration@treasury.gov. Petitioners may also refer to the Department of State’s Delisting Guidance page. For more information on E.O. 14024, as amended, see full text. # # # U.S. Senior Official for the DPRK Pak’s Video Conference with PRC Special Representative on Korean Peninsula Affairs Liu 02/23/2024 U.S. Senior Official for the DPRK Pak’s Video Conference with PRC Special Representative on Korean Peninsula Affairs Liu 02/23/2024 10:33 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson U.S. Senior Official for the DPRK Dr. Jung Pak held a videoconference on February 21 with PRC Special Representative on Korean Peninsula Affairs Liu Xiaoming to discuss the DPRK’s increasingly destabilizing and escalatory behavior and its deepening military cooperation with Russia.  The two sides discussed the need to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the importance of returning to dialogue and diplomacy.  They also discussed the growing military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK, which is in violation of numerous UN Security Council resolutions.  This meeting follows Secretary Blinken’s February 16 meeting with PRC Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the margins of the Munich Security Conference, where the two sides exchanged views on the situation on the Korean Peninsula and affirmed the importance of continued communications on DPRK issues at all levels. Senior Official Pak stressed the need for all UN Member States to fulfill their obligations and fully implement the UN sanctions regime on the DPRK. Deputy Secretary Verma’s Meetings with the Government of Maldives in Malé 02/23/2024 Deputy Secretary Verma’s Meetings with the Government of Maldives in Malé 02/23/2024 10:33 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma visited Malé on February 22 to advance goals within the U.S-Maldives relationship. His meeting with Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer sought to advance shared priorities in increasing economic cooperation, promoting maritime security, and boosting people-to-people ties. Deputy Secretary Verma and Foreign Minister Zameer discussed plans for the United States to provide $8 million in funding for four patrol boats to the Maldives, which will help Maldives monitor its waters and deter malign influence by state and non-state actors and other threats to Maldives’ sovereignty. In these meetings, and a joint meeting with Foreign Minister Zameer, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Saeed, Minister of Defense Maumoon, Minister of Homeland Security Ihusaan, Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy Ibrahim, and Minister of Fisheries Shiyam, the Deputy Secretary also highlighted opportunities for the United States and Maldives to expand bilateral cooperation and people-to-people ties through the opening of a new U.S. Embassy in Maldives and re-opening of Maldives’ Embassy in Washington, D.C. Responding to Two Years of Russia’s Full-Scale War On Ukraine and Navalny’s Death 02/23/2024 Responding to Two Years of Russia’s Full-Scale War On Ukraine and Navalny’s Death 02/23/2024 10:23 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson Following Russia’s two years of unprovoked full-scale war, the death of opposition politician and anticorruption activist Aleksey Navalny, and a decade of aggression against Ukraine, the United States is sanctioning more than 500 individuals and entities in Russia and globally. There is a clear link between Russia’s authoritarianism, its domestic crackdown on dissent, and its aggression abroad. Today, we are imposing additional costs on Russia for both its internal repression and foreign aggression. The Department of State is sanctioning three individuals in connection with the death of Navalny in Russian Penal Colony IK-3: the prison warden, regional prison head, and deputy director of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. In addition, the Department is imposing sanctions on more than 250 entities and individuals, including those engaged in sanctions evasion and circumvention, and those bolstering Russia’s future energy and metals and mining production. Along with these actions, the Department is sanctioning several individuals to promote accountability for acts supporting Russia’s war, including by those involved in the unlawful transfer and/or deportation of Ukrainian children. Today’s financial sanctions targets are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024, as amended, which authorizes sanctions with respect to specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation. The Department is also taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Russian Federation-installed purported authorities involved in human rights abuses in connection with the transfer, deportation and confinement of Ukrainian children. Additionally, the U.S. government is issuing a business advisory to assist companies in making informed decisions regarding the risks of conducting business in Russia. PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THE DEATH OF ALEKSEY NAVALNY The Department is designating the following three individuals connected to the death of Aleksey Navalny pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(A) for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of the Russian Federation: VALERIY GENNADEVICH BOYARINEV (BOYARINEV) is the Deputy Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, which includes oversight of Penal Colony IK-3. BOYARINEV reportedly instructed prison staff to exert harsher treatment on Aleksey Navalny while he was in detention. Following Navalny’s death, BOYARINEV was promoted to “Colonel General” by decree of Vladimir Putin. IGOR BORISOVICH RAKITIN (RAKITIN) and VADIM KONSTANTINOVICH KALININ (KALININ) are officials in the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. RAKITIN is the overall head of the Federal Penitentiary Service of1322 Russia for the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region, in which Penal Colony IK-3 is located. KALININ is the warden of Penal Colony IK-3. CONSTRAINING RUSSIA’S FUTURE ENERGY PRODUCTION AND EXPORTS Further Sanctions on Entities Involved in the Arctic LNG 2 Project The Department continues to designate entities involved in the development of Russia’s future energy production and export capacity. Today, the Department is designating two major entities involved in the financing and construction of highly specialized liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers designed specifically for Limited Liability Company Arctic LNG 2 (LLC Arctic LNG 2), the operator of the Arctic LNG 2 project, as well as several other entities involved in Arctic LNG 2 and other future energy projects in Russia. Construction and development of the Arctic LNG 2 Project has relied on foreign service companies’ expertise and technology to significantly expand Russia’s future LNG export capacity. These actions follow the Department of State’s designation of LLC Arctic LNG 2 in November 2023, as well as multiple other entities involved in the development of the Arctic LNG 2 project. These designations have already produced delays in the project exports and resulted in significant increases in the project’s construction costs. Today’s actions demonstrate the United States’ continued commitment and resolve to constrain the Arctic LNG 2 project’s production and export capacity. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SHIPBUILDING COMPLEX ZVEZDA is a Russia-based shipbuilding company that is involved in the construction of up to 15 highly specialized LNG tankers intended for use in support of Arctic LNG 2 exports. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the marine sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MODERN MARINE ARCTIC TRANSPORT SPG (SMART LNG) is a Russia-based joint venture to lease new ice-class LNG carriers in support of Arctic LNG 2 exports. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NOVATEK MURMANSK (NOVATEK MURMANSK) is a Russia-based civil engineering construction company. NOVATEK MURMANSK, also known as the Belokamenka shipyard, is involved in the assembly of the gravity-based structures and LNG production lines for the Arctic LNG 2 project. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: AZORIA SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED (AZORIA SHIPPING COMPANY) is a Cyprus-based shipping company intended to acquire a vessel supporting exports from the Arctic LNG 2 project. AZORIA SHIPPING COMPANY‘s global ultimate parent is Joint Stock Company Sovcomflot, a Russian state-owned enterprise. ELIXON SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED (ELIXON SHIPPING COMPANY) is a Cyprus-based shipping company intended to acquire a vessel supporting exports from the Arctic LNG 2 project. ELIXON SHIPPING COMPANY‘s global ultimate parent is Joint Stock Company Sovcomflot, a Russian state-owned enterprise. GLORINA SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED (GLORINA SHIPPING COMPANY) is a Cyprus-based shipping company intended to acquire a vessel supporting exports from the Arctic LNG 2 project. GLORINA SHIPPING COMPANY‘s global ultimate parent is Joint Stock Company Sovcomflot, a Russian state-owned enterprise. Targeting Other Russian Future Energy Projects The Department is also taking action against entities involved in other Russian future energy projects. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GLOBALTEK was established in 2019 to implement and develop the future Yakutia Gas Project. The Department is designating an additional two entities involved in the development and operation of Russia’s Ust-Luga LNG terminal. These actions follow previous sanctions against entities involved in the development of the Ust-Luga LNG terminal. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy: OOO RUSKHIMALYANS (RUSKHIMALYANS) is a Russia-based joint-venture company building an LNG complex at the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga. RUSKHIMALYANS is also the LNG project’s operator. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NEW COMMUNAL TECHNOLOGIES (NKT) is a subsidiary of RUSKHIMALYANS and is involved in transportation services and cargo handling on behalf of RUSKHIMALYANS. Targeting a Major Russian State-Owned Enterprise Supporting Future Energy Projects The Department is targeting a significant geological exploration company wholly owned by the Government of the Russian Federation. JSC ROSGEOLOGIA (ROSGEO) is a Russian state-owned multidisciplinary geological holding company, which provides geological exploration services. Within Russia, ROSGEO and its subsidiaries perform a range of geophysical services in the search and exploration of oil and gas fields. ROSGEO is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation. ROSGEO performs similar operations for hydrocarbon and solid mineral exploration in over a dozen countries, primarily through two subsidiaries, YUZHMORGEOLOGIYA AO and ZARUBEZHGEOLOGIYA AO (ZARUBEZHGEOLOGIYA). YUZHMORGEOLOGIYA AO and ZARUBEZHGEOLOGIA are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the engineering sector of the Russian Federation economy. The following vessels are being identified as property in which YUZHMORGEOLOGIYA AO has an interest: YUZHMORGEOLOGIYA and GELENDZHIK are research vessels operated by YUZHMORGEOLOGIYA AO for the purpose of geophysical exploration and are ultimately managed by ROSEGO. The following entities affiliated with ROSGEO are engaged in activities such as surveying, industrial engineering, and providing engineering-related services in Russia. All eight entities are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the engineering sector of the Russian Federation economy: NPTS NEDRA AO IRKUTSKGEOFIZIKA AO SEVERO VOSTOCHNOE PGO AO SEVERO KAVKAZSKOE PGO AO SIBIRSKOE PGO AO CHELYABINSKGEOSEMKA AO DALNEVOSTOCHNOE PGO AO DALMORNEFTEGEOFIZIKA AO Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the architecture sector of the Russian Federation economy: TSENTRALNOE PGO PAO (TSENTRALNOE PGO) is owned by ROSGEO. TSENTRALNOE PGO provides architectural, engineering, and related services for geological exploration projects in Russia. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following two entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: TULSKOE NIGP AO and VNIGRI GEOLOGORAZVEDKA AO are both ultimately owned or managed by ROSGEO. Both entities are engaged in the manufacture of geophysical and mining equipment Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following two entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: TSENTRKVARTS PAO is managed by ROSGEO and is involved in geophysical exploration work for projects in Russia. SEVERO ZAPADNOE PGO AO is owned by ROSGEO. SEVERO ZAPADNOE PGO AO is engaged in mineral exploration and mining activities. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the engineering sector of the Russian Federation economy: SEVMORNEFTEGEOFIZIKA AO (SMNG) is managed by ROSGEO. SMNG is involved in geophysical exploration and marine exploratory drilling in Russia, as well as for international projects on behalf of the Russian government. The following vessels are being identified as property in which SMNG has an interest. The following five vessels are survey and research vessels used for the purpose of geophysical exploration and are ultimately managed by ROSGEO: AKADEMIK PRIMAKOV PROFESSOR LOGACHEV AKADEMIK LAZEREV AKADEMIK NEMCHINOV PROFESSOR RYABINKIN Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the engineering sector of the Russian Federation economy: JSC POLAR MARINE GEOSURVEY EXPEDITION (PMGRE) is engaged in mineral exploration and prospecting, and is managed by ROSGEO. The AKADEMIK ALEKSANDR KARPINSKIY is being identified as property in which PMGRE has an interest. AKADEMIK ALEKSANDR KARPINSKIYis a survey and research vessel operated by PMGRE for the purpose of geophysical exploration and is ultimately managed by ROSGEO. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following three entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the engineering sector of the Russian Federation economy. These three entities are engaged in scientific engineering research, and are all managed by ROSGEO: VNIGRIUGOL AO VNIIZARUBEZHGEOLOGIYA VZG AO AMIGE AO (AMIGE) The BAVENIT is being identified as property in which AMIGE has an interest. BAVENITis a survey and research vessel operated by AMIGE for the purpose of geophysical exploration and is ultimately managed by ROSGEO. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: URANGEOLOGORAZVEDKA AO (URANGEO) is managed by ROSGEO. URANGEO provides drilling services and related support for geological exploration projects in Russia. Continued Pressure on Rosatom Subsidiaries This is the sixth Russia sanctions action that includes designations of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (Rosatom) subsidiaries. These targets include Rosatom entities supporting Russia’s development of the Arctic region, future business development, and an enterprise of Russia’s nuclear weapons complex. The Department is designating the following entities pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: JOINT STOCK COMPANY RUSATOM ARCTIC (RUSATOM ARCTIC) is a subsidiary of Rosatom that was established in 2023 to aid in Russia’s development of the Arctic region. INNOVATION HUB LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (INNOHUB) is a subsidiary of Rosatom that serves as Rosatom’s business accelerator and includes an investment portfolio, a project office, and a research and development center. FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE ALEXANDROV RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (ALEXANDROV RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY) is a subsidiary of Rosatom described as being a key enterprise of the nuclear weapons complex and involved in designing, testing, and supporting nuclear power and naval propulsion reactors, including for Russian submarines. DISRUPTING SANCTIONS EVASION AND BACKFILLING EFFORTS The Department continues to disrupt the networks and channels through which Russia attempts to procure technology and equipment from third countries to support its war effort. Specifically, these designations target producers, exporters, and importers of items critical to Russia’s defense-industrial base, including common high-priority items identified by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, alongside the EU, UK, and Japan. Entities based in the PRC, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries, continue to send these items and other important dual-use goods to Russia, including critical components that Russia relies on for its weapons systems. Many of these procured components also include U.S.-origin aviation parts from top U.S. manufacturers. Russia has continued to leverage sanctions evasion and circumvention networks to procure aviation and microelectronic components in an effort to sustain its military industrial base and aviation industry, to include expropriated U.S. and European aircraft. Targeting a Pathway for Microelectronics Imports to Russia The Department is designating the following entity pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP DA GROUP 22 (DA GROUP 22) is a Kazakhstan-based company that is receiving common high-priority items from Germany-based company, ELIX ST LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, and is sending common high-priority items to Russia-based company LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY STEK. The end users of these common high-priority items include the Russian military and Russian space and defense manufacturers. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B), the following entity is being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of DA GROUP 22, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: ELIX ST LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (ELIX ST) is a Germany-based company that has supplied common high-priority items to Kazakhstan-based company, DA GROUP 22. Pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(C), the following individual is being designated for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of ELIX ST: YELENA LVOVNA CHERNET is the Managing Director of ELIX ST. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY STEK (STEK) is a Russia-based company involved in the production of electrical wiring works. STEK is receiving common high-priority items from DA GROUP 22. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SET 1 (SET 1) is a Russia-based company involved in the production of radio and television-transmission apparatuses. SET 1 uses microelectronic imports from STEK to develop products for the Russian military. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity and individual are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ELIKS M (ELIKS M) is a Russia-based company involved primarily in the wholesale distribution of industrial machinery and equipment. ELIKS M clients include various Russian defense companies. YEVGENIY OLEGOVICH CHERNET is the General Director and majority shareholder of ELIKS M. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP ELEM GROUP (ELEM GROUP) is a Kazakhstan-based company that has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based, U.S.-designated STRELOI EKOMMERTS. Türkiye-based Entities Supplying Common High-Priority Items to Russia The Department is designating the following entities pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: MBK LOJISTIK MEDIKAL PAZARLAMA SANAYI IC VE DIS TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI (MBK LOJISTIK) is a Türkiye-based company that has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based company, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY A AVERS. OLIMPIK GAMA IC VE TICARET SANAYI LIMITED SIRKETI (OLIMPIK GAMA) is a Türkiye-based company that has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based company, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRADE HOUSE KYUTEK. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRADE HOUSE KYUTEK (TRADE HOUSE) is a Russia-based company that has received common high-priority electronic components supplied by Türkiye-based company, OLIMPIK GAMA. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY A AVERS (A AVERS) is a Russia-based company that has received common high-priority electronic components supplied by Türkiye-based company, MBK LOJISTIK. Türkiye-based Entities Involved in Procuring G7-Origin Aircraft Components for Entities Based in Russia Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy: ALPHA VISIT SHOP FOREIGN TRADE LIMITED COMPANY (ALPHA VISIT) is a Türkiye-based company, founded by a Russian national in May 2022, that supplied aircraft parts to Russia-based companies, including an entity that is Entity Listed by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. A UAE-based Entity Supplying Common High-Priority Items to Russia The Department is designating the following entities pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: ASIA INTERNATIONAL TRADE PROVIDER LLC (ASIA INTERNATIONAL) is a UAE-based company that has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based, U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MDIKAM EK. UAE-based Entities Involved in Procuring G7-Origin Aircraft Components for Entities Based in Russia The Department is designating the following entity pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy: POLARSTAR LOGISTICS LLC (POLARSTAR) is a UAE-based company that offers cargo shipping services from the UAE to Russia. POLARSTAR is listed as an S7 Airlines representative office and acts as a cargo agent in the UAE on behalf of S7 Airlines, which is Entity Listed by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy: S 7 ENGINEERING LLC (S7 ENGINEERING) is a Russia-based company that offers maintenance services for U.S. and European-built aircraft and components in Russia and other countries. S7 ENGINEERING procures aircraft parts, including G7-origin components, from UAE-based companies. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, S7 ENGINEERING: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ANGAR (ANGAR) is solely owned by S7 ENGINEERING. ANGAR is primarily engaged in renting, buying, selling, managing, and appraising real estate. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy: MIRAGE AIR CRAFT SERVICES SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP LLC is a UAE-based company that supplied aircraft parts to the Russia-based company S7 ENGINEERING. CRYNOFIST AVIATION FZCO is a UAE-based company that supplied Russian aviation companies with G7-origin aircraft parts. RBG SOLUTION FZE is a UAE-based company that supplied G7-origin aircraft parts to the Russia-based company, S7 ENGINEERING. PRC-based Entities Involved in Procuring Electronic Components for Entities with Ties to the Russian Military The Department is designating the following entities pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: ZHEJIANG OULONG ELECTRIC CO LTD (ZHEJIANG OULONG ELECTRIC) is a private manufacturer of printed circuit boards based in Wenzhou, PRC. From January to October 2023, Zhejiang Oulong Electric supplied Russian entities with more than $2 million worth of products found on the BIS List of Common High Priority Items. ZHEJIANG OULONG ELECTRIC has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based, U.S.-designated INELSO OOO. INELSO OOO was sanctioned by the United States in May 2023 and has also been identified in the Official Journal of the European Union as an entity that has contributed to Russia’s military and technological enhancement or to the development of Russia’s defense and security sector. WUHAN MAIWE COMMUNICATION CO LTD (WUHAN MAIWE) is a PRC-based company that supplies common high priority items to Russian companies. WUHAN MAIWE has supplied common high-priority items to Russia-based, U.S.-designated company REGION-PROF LLC. REGION-PROF LLC has procured multiple shipments of common high priority items on behalf of the Russian military and security services. COREBAI MICROELECTRONICS BEIJING COMPANY LIMITED is a PRC-based micro-electronics producer that has Russian distributors, works with SDN listed INELSO OOO, and has a distribution warehouse in Russia. CONSTRAINING RUSSIA’S METALS AND MINING REVENUE The Department of State continues to designate individuals and entities involved in Russia’s metals and mining sector to further constrict Russia’s revenue generation from this key source of funds for the Russian federal budget. Targeting Russia’s Largest Pipe Producer The Department is designating PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY (PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY), Russia’s leading supplier of steel pipe, piping solutions, and related services. PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY also supplied piping for U.S.-designated Nord Stream 2 AG, the project implementation company for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i), for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy. The following five entities, all of which are subsidiaries of PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY, are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TUBES 2000 LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK OIL FIELD SERVICES LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK PREMIUM SERVICES LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK TECHNICAL SERVICE SPS ME FZCO The following additional subsidiaries of PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY are all being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY CHELYABINSK PIPE ROLLING PLANT is the leading supplier of steel pipe, piping solutions, and related services for a variety of sectors of the Russian economy. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK YARTSEVSKIY METALLURGICAL PLANT is a modern casting and rolling factory for the production of long products with a capacity of more than 300 thousand tons per year. JOINT STOCK COMPANY VOLZHSKIY PIPE PLANT is involved in the production of steel pipes, hollow profiles, and fittings. JOINT STOCK COMPANY ORSKIY MACHINE BUILDING PLANT is involved in the production of steel pipes, hollow profiles, and fittings. JOINT STOCK COMPANY PERVOURALSKIY NEW PIPE PLANT produces steel pipes and cylinders. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SINARSKIY PIPE PLANT (SINARSKIY PIPE PLANT) is a specialized enterprise for the production of steel pipes, providing industrial services. JOINT STOCK COMPANY TAGANROG METALLURGICAL PLANT (TAGANROG METALLURGICAL PLANT) produces many types of steel pipes. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SEVERSKIY PIPE PLANT (SEVERSKIY PIPE PLANT) is one of the oldest metallurgical enterprises in Russia and produces various steel pipe products. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SMARTMET manufactures steel tubes, pipes, and related fittings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK PIPELINE SOLUTIONS manufactures steel tubes, pipes, and related fittings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK TAYMIR treats and coats metals. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: INTERNATIONAL COMPANY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK STEEL HOLDING is a subsidiary of PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY and is primarily engaged in holding or owning securities of companies and is involved in financial asset investing. The following two additional subsidiaries of PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SINARATRANSAUTO has worked in the automobiles logistics market since 2005 and provides comprehensive road transportation services for the SINARSKIY PIPE PLANT. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SINARAPROMTRANS (SINARAPROMTRANS) is the only operator of internal railway logistics for the TAGANROG METALLURGICAL PLANT, VOLZHSKIY PIPE PLANT, and SEVERSKIY PIPE PLANT pipe factories, included in the PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY network. Additionally, SINARAPROMTRANS has two divisions in Siberia, which carry out rail delivery of coal from mining sites. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the accounting sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TMK BUSINESS SERVICES CENTER is a subsidiary of PIPE METALLURGICAL COMPANY whose main business activities are accounting, bookkeeping, auditing activities, and tax consultancy. Further Targeting Russian Gold Mining The Department is designating KONSTANTIN IVANOVICH STRUKOV (STRUKOV) and PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY UZHURALZOLOTO GROUP OF COMPANIES (JSC UGC), one of Russia’s top ten gold miners. STRUKOV is the founder and majority owner of JSC UGC and was sanctioned by the United Kingdom on November 8, 2023. STRUKOV and JSC UGC are both being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, STRUKOV, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MANAGEMENT COMPANY UGC is owned by STRUKOV. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SOVRUDNIK extracts metal ores and is owned by JSC UGC. JOINT STOCK COMPANY KOMMUNAROVSKIY GOLD MINE is involved in the mining of ores and sands of precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum. Targeting A Russian Aluminum Products Producer The Department is designating JOINT STOCK COMPANY SAMARA METALLURGICAL PLANT (SAMARA METALLURGICAL PLANT), a Russia-based firm that produces a broad assortment of aluminum products and is the largest producer of semi-fabricated aluminum products in Russia. SAMARA METALLURGICAL PLANT is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy. MIKHAIL GRIGORYEVICH SPICHAK (SPICHAK) is the General Director of the SAMARA METALLURICAL PLANT and MAXIM YURYEVICH SMIRNOV (SMIRNOV) is the President of the SAMARA METALLURGICAL PLANT. Both SPICHAK and SMIRNOV are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy. Targeting A Key Russian Metals & Mining Network The Department is targeting a network of Russian mining companies connected to the wealthy Russian Trotsenko family believed to be close to President of Russia Vladimir Putin. The following entities are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: ILLC GEOPROMINING INVESTMENT is involved in activities including security and commodity exchanges among other financial service activities. LLC HOLDING GPM (HOLDING GPM) is involved in activities including investments in securities and financial asset investing. HOLDING GPM is the founder and majority owner of the following four entities which are being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, HOLDING GPM, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LLC GEOPROMAINING LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRYAZH INVEST LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GEOPROMAINING VERKHNE MENKECHE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NATSIONALNAYA SURMYANAYA KOMPANIYA (NSK) Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, NSK, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GROSS was founded and is owned by NSK. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY VISMUT is primarily engaged in the mining and enrichment of iron ores. JOINT STOCK COMPANY ZVEZDA is primarily engaged in mining, milling, or otherwise preparing ferroalloy ores. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SARYLAKH SURMA is primarily engaged in mining, milling, or otherwise preparing ferroalloy ores. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AEON MINING is primarily engaged in the mining of ores and sands of precious metals. CONSTRAINING RUSSIA’S WAR EFFORT Entities and Individuals Manufacturing Weapons, Ammunitions, and Other Equipment The Department is continuing to take significant action to disrupt and degrade Russia’s military industrial base and today is targeting nearly 60 entities and individuals involved in the manufacture of weapons, ammunition, and associated materiel. The defense industry entities and individuals included below manufacture weapons, ammunition, and related equipment for the Russian defense sector to support its illegal war against Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY TULA MACHINE BUILDING PLANT (TULAMASHZAVOD) is one of the largest enterprises of the Russian military industrial base manufacturing numerous gun systems for Russian armored vehicles, aircraft, and anti-aircraft systems. EVGENII ANATOLEVICH DRONOV is the Director General of TULAMASHZAVOD. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY IMPERIAL TULA ARMS PLANT (IMPERIAL TULA ARMS PLANT) manufactures high-precision antitank guided missiles and various small arms for the Russian military. GUN-MAKING COMPANY LEVSHA-T LLC manufactures small arms and is wholly owned by IMPERIAL TULA ARMS PLANT. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SCIENTIFIC AND PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION PRIBOR NAMED AFTER S.S. GOLEMBIOVSKY (JSC NPO PRIBOR) is one of Russia’s largest manufacturers of small-caliber ammunition and weapons systems for use by the Russian military. YURI ALEXANDROVICH NABOKOV is the General Director of JSC NPO PRIBOR. JOINT STOCK COMPANY NOVOSIBIRSK MECHANICAL PLANT ISKRA (NMZ ISKRA) manufactures ammunition, explosives and other specialized components for the Russian defense industry. JOINT STOCK COMPANY VERKHNYAYA SALDA CHEMICAL CONTAINER PLANT (AO VZKHE) manufactures missile technology for the Russian defense industry. JSC IZHEVSK MOTOR PLANT AKSION HOLDING (AKSION HOLDING) manufactures equipment for control systems for the Topol-M and Yars missile systems, as well as communication and information processing systems. GENNADY IVANOVICH KUDRYAVTSEV is the Director General of AKSION HOLDING. JOINT STOCK COMPANY VOSKRESENSKY AGGREGATION FACTORY (JSC VAF) assembles antiaircraft guided missiles, air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles, and cruise missiles for use by the Russian military. ALEKSANDR VIACHESLAVOVICH SYCHUGOV is the General Director of JSC VAF. FEDERAL STATE ENTERPRISE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION KAZAN PLANT OF PRECISION ENGINEERING (NPO KZTM) manufactures explosives for the Russian defense industry. JSC SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN BUREAU NAMED AFTER M SIMONOV (OKB SIMONOV) develops and produces unmanned aerial systems and aerial training targets. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRIMIX (3MX) manufactures electronic warfare systems and anti-UAV systems used by the Russian military. CENTRAL RESEARCH RADIO ENGINEERING INSTITUTE NAMED AFTER ACADEMICIAN A I BERG (TSNIRTI BERG) builds satellite and radar equipment for contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE EKRAN (EKRAN) works on the development, production, testing, and repair of aviation equipment used by the Russian Ministry of Defense. JOINT STOCK COMPANY ARZAMAS MACHINE BUILDING PLANT (ARZAMAS) manufactures armored vehicles used by the Russian military in Ukraine. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPANY (MIC) develops and manufactures armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and armored cars for the Russian military. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SPECIAL DESIGN BUREAU OF TRANSPORT MECHANICAL ENGINEERING (SPETSMASH) develops and manufactures armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery, and other specialized equipment for the Russian military. JOINT STOCK COMPANY ASTEIS manufactures armored vehicles for the Russian defense industry. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SPECIAL DESIGN BUREAU OF INSTRUMENT MAKING AND AUTOMATION (SKB PA) develops and manufactures electro-hydraulic, electromechanical, navigation, and control systems for mobile robotic complexes for the Russian defense industry. FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE STATE RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION ENTERPRISE BAZALT (NPO BAZALT) is involved in the design and construction of air launched ordnance, rocket propelled grenades, and armored fighting vehicle ammunition. NPO BAZALT was designated pursuant to E.O. 13662 on July 16, 2014. OTKRYTOE AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO NOVO-VYATKA (NOVO-VYATKA) manufactures various technical equipment with defense applications. NOVO-VYATKA was designated pursuant to E.O. 13662 on December 22, 2015. NIKOLAY VLADIMIROVICH PORKHACHEV (PORKHACHEV) is the General Director of NPO BAZALT, and was the temporary General Director of OTKRYTOE AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO NOVO-VYATKA. FARID KHABIBULLOVICH ABDRAKHMANOV is the General Director of JOINT STOCK COMPANY EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN BUREAU NOVATOR, which develops and produces cruise missiles, including the Kalibr cruise missile, and was designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 in September 2023. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRADING HOUSE LOBAEV ARMS (LOBAEV ARMS) is a company registered in Russia that manufactures weapons and ammunition. VLADISLAV YEVGENYEVICH LOBAEV (VLADISLAV LOBAEV) is the founder of LOBAEV ARMS. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY LOBAEV ROBOTICS (LOBAEV ROBOTICS) is a company registered in Russia that manufactures weapons and ammunition. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CONSTRUCTION BUREAU OF INTEGRATED SYSTEMS (LLC KBIS) is a company registered in Russia that produces weapons and ammunition. ELENA ANATOLYEVNA LOBAEVA (ELENA LOBAEVA) is a founder and owner of LLC KBIS. FUND FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WEAPONS TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTION LOBAEV FOUNDATION (LOBAEV FOUNDATION) is registered in Russia and its programs include the development of precision small arms technologies, development of the production of precision weapons, development and modernization of specialized UAVs, and development and supply of special equipment. NIKOLAY YEVGENYEVICH LOBAEV (NIKOLAY LOBAEV) is a shareholder, director, and legal representative of LOBAEV ARMS. Entities Supporting Russia’s Military Industrial Base The Department continues to designate entities involved in the development of advanced technologies and high-tech machine tools being used to substitute production of goods Russia can no longer import, as well as entities involved in the manufacture of weapons and ammunition supporting Russia’s defense industry. The Department is designating the following entities involved in the development of additive manufacturing (3D printing) and computer numerical control (CNC) technologies, among other individuals and entities within the Russian military industrial base. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY ELEKTRONNAYA MOSKVA is contracted to cover technical support and maintenance of Moscow’s facial recognition system. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 2050 ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGIES is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OFFICE TECHNOLOGY JETCOM is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NPC ANTEY is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MAKETIR is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ENGINEERING CENTER OF ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGIES is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NOVAPRINT 3D is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ONSINT is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TPK FOLIPLAST is a Russia-based additive manufacturing company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SPRUT TECHNOLOGY is a Russia-based company that develops software for computer numerical control machines. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CENTER SPRUT T is a Russia-based company that develops software for computer numerical control machines. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DIAPAZON is a supplier of electronic components throughout Russia. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY KLINTSOVSKIY MOBILE CRANE PLANT is one of the largest and most reputable manufacturers of lifting equipment in Russia. The plant produces modern automobile and crawler cranes. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GALIKA MET repairs metalworking machines and is involved in the sale of machinery and equipment. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GALIKA SKD is involved in the sale of woodworking machines. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GALIKA TSENTR TEKHNOLOGI I SERVIS is an industrial machinery and equipment wholesaler headquartered in Russia. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GALIKA SERVIS repairs machinery and equipment. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PROIZVODSTVENNYE RESHENIYA is involved in the machining of metal products, manufacture of metalworking machines, and manufactures of other machine tools. JOINT STOCK COMPANY PROIZVODSTVENNOE OBEDINENIE FORT (JSC PO FORT) operates in the machinery wholesale industry. DIANA EVGENEVNA KALEDINA is the Director General of JSC PO FORT. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MACHINE BUILDING FACTORY FORT is involved in the machining of metal products, manufacture of metalworking machines, and manufactures of other machine tools. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SASOVSKI LITEINY ZAVOD operates in the casting of iron industry. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MANAGEMENT COMPANY ABAMET is a Russia-based industrial machinery and equipment wholesale company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HERMLE VOSTOK is a Russia-based industrial machinery and equipment wholesale company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ATM GRUPP is a Russia-based machinery wholesale company that supplies CNC machines. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INZHENERNO TEKHNOLOGICHESKI TSENTR ATM is a Russia-based machinery wholesale company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ATM TEKHNOLODZHI is a Russia-based machinery wholesale company that supplies high-quality metalworking equipment. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KNAUER ENGINEERING is a Russia-based company that operates in the Industrial Machinery Repair and Maintenance industry. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AMS TEKHNIKA is a Russia-based company involved in the wholesale distribution of industrial machinery and equipment. JOINT STOCK COMPANY JOINT TECHNOLOGICAL ENTERPRISE PERM PLANT OF METAL WORKING CENTERS (PZMC) manufactures CNC metalworking machines, lathes, turn-milling, and milling machines including the PROTON T series machines. JOINT STOCK COMPANY MEKHANIKA produces advanced industrial equipment for high-performance turning and milling of steels and alloys. JOINT STOCK COMPANY KOVROV ELECTROMECHANICAL PLANT (KEMZ) designs and manufactures a variety of multifunctional turning, milling, and turn-mill machining CNC machines and associated equipment. AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO TOZ-METIZ manufactures high-precision fasteners and other hardware for the Russian defense industry and is wholly owned by IMPERIAL TULA ARMS PLANT. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NATIONAL CENTRE FOR INFORMATION SECURITY is a Russia-based company that develops counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems and develops information security systems that are used by multiple Russian government agencies. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the electronics sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NEIT is a Russia-based company and is involved in the wholesale trade of electronic equipment and its spare parts. Countering Russia-Iran Military Cooperation and Arms Proliferation The Department remains focused on highlighting and disrupting the ongoing military cooperation between Iran and Russia to further Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine. In December 2022 and October 2023, we designated numerous Russian and Iranian entities for their involvement in the proliferation of arms including transfers of UAVs from Iran for Russia’s use against Ukraine, conventional arms and related materiel from Iran to Russia, and major weapons systems from Russia to Iran, including the Yak-130 combat aircraft. Today, we continue these efforts by designating the Iranian MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND ARMED FORCES LOGISTICS (MODAFL) for the first time under a Russia-related sanctions authority, as well as two shipping companies that have previously been involved in arms related transfers between Iran and Russia. At least as of 2022, ROSOBORONEKSPORT OAO had worked through MODAFL to facilitate Iranian munitions transfers to Russia. Additionally, MODAFL worked with other Iranian military entities to facilitate the transfer of armed UAVs to Russia beginning in 2022. This action aligns with the Department of the Treasury’s designations today of a network of entities and individuals that has supported efforts by the Government of the Russian Federation and MODAFL to establish a facility in Russia to supply the Russian military with one-way attack UAVs, such as the Shahed-136 UAVs, and the Russian version, the Geran-2, for use in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B), the following entity is being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of ROSOBORONEKSPORT OAO, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND ARMED FORCES LOGISTICS (MODAFL) is the Iranian Ministry of Defense and has been involved in transfers of major weapons systems between Russia and Iran. MODAFL was previously designated pursuant to E.O. 13382, E.O. 13224, and E.O. 13949. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the marine sector of the Russian Federation economy: DALIR LTD is a Russian shipping company based in Astrakhan, Russia on the Caspian Sea. Additionally, DALIR LTD previously transported military-related cargo for delivery to the Iranian military on behalf of ROSOBORONEKSPORT OAO, Russia’s sole state-controlled intermediary agency for exporting and importing the entire range of military, defense, and dual-use products, technologies, and services. ROSOBORONEKSPORT OAO is designated pursuant to E.O. 14024, E.O. 13949, E.O. 13582 and E.O. 13662. Pursuant to the Order, the following vessels are being identified as property in which DALIR LTD has an interest: ALIREZA 1 and BALTIYSKIY-111. ALIREZA 1 and BALTIYSKIY-111 are general cargo ships. LADOGA SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (LADOGA LTD) is a Russian shipping company based in Astrakhan, Russia on the Caspian Sea. Additionally, LADOGA LTD vessels previously made port calls in Russian-occupied Crimea and transported military-related cargo for delivery to the Iranian military on behalf of ROSOBORONEKSPORT OAO. Pursuant to the Order, SKIF-V is being identified as property in which LADOGA LTD has an interest. SKIF-V is a general cargo ship. Disrupting Russia-DPRK Munitions Transfers The Department will continue to disrupt and expose arms transfers between the DPRK and Russia. As part of that ongoing effort, the Department is designating two additional entities that have been involved in the transfer of munitions from the DPRK to Russia. Since September 2023, the DPRK has delivered more than 10,000 containers of munitions or munitions-related materials to Russia. Russia has imported shipping containers carrying military-related cargo from the DPRK through Vostochny Port for use in the Ukraine conflict since early October 2023. Specifically, more than 7,400 containers of munitions and munitions-related materials have been delivered to Russia through the VOSTOCHNAYA STEVEDORING COMPANY LLC (VSC)-owned terminal at Vostochny Port. Containers of munitions and munitions-related materials have also been delivered to Russia through the nearby DUNAY PROBABLE NAVAL MISSILE FACILITY. These designations follow the Department’s designations of several other entities and individuals involved in munitions transfers from the DPRK to Russia in July, September, and December 2023 as well as designations of entities involved in the transfer of ballistic missiles from the DPRK to Russia in January 2024. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the marine sector of the Russian Federation economy: VOSTOCHNAYA STEVEDORING COMPANY LLC (VSC) manages a terminal at Vostochny Port in Russia’s far east through which more than 7,400 containers of munitions and munitions-related materials have been delivered from the DPRK. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: DUNAY PROBABLE NAVAL MISSILE FACILITY is a Russian naval base and port facility that has been involved in the transfer of munitions from the DPRK to Russia. Targeting Third-Party Support to Russia’s Defense Sector The Department continues to be vigilant against entities and individuals in third countries that provide support to Russia’s defense sector. Today’s actions demonstrate that we will not hesitate to take action under all relevant authorities against those engaging in transactions with or providing other forms of support to Russia’s defense sector. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: JSC 558 AIRCRAFT REPAIR PLANT is a Belarusian defense company that maintains and repairs aircraft equipment and trains other personnel in the repair and operation of certain aviation materiel. JSC 558 AIRCRAFT REPAIR PLANT retains close ties to the Russian defense sector and was previously designated pursuant to E.O. 14038 on February 24, 2022. PAVEL IVANOVICH PINIGIN is the former director of JSC 558 AIRCRAFT REPAIR PLANT. PRO HELI INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LIMITED (PRO HELI) is a Uganda-based joint venture with the National Enterprises Corporation that provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for Uganda’s fleet of Russian-origin helicopters. Additionally, PRO HELI maintains a partnership with the JSC 558 AIRCRAFT REPAIR PLANT and has procured weapons from U.S.-designated Russian arms companies as recently as 2023. VALERII COPEICHIN is the CEO of PRO HELI and has previously been named in a United Nations report for involvement in weapons shipments to South Sudan. Continued Pressure on Private Military Companies The Department is continuing our efforts to expose and disrupt the activities of Russian private military companies and individuals supporting Russia’s war aims against Ukraine. Despite the demise of the PMC Wagner’s Yevgeniy Prigozhin, today’s actions highlight our focus on countering the malign activities of such groups and individuals operating in Ukraine and elsewhere. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities and individual are being designated for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: PRIVATE MILITARY COMPANY CONVOY (PMC CONVOY) is a private military company operating in Ukraine. KONSTANTIN ALEXANDROVICH PIKALOV is a leader of PMC CONVOY operating in Ukraine. AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO KONSALT is the new legal form of the PMC Wagner Center in Saint Petersburg, Russia. ALEXEY VASILYEVICH TENSIN is the former leader of PMC Wagner Center and a former manager at JSC Concern Kalashnikov. Pursuant to section 1(a)(ii)(F), the following individuals are being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: ANDREI NIKOLAEVICH TROSHEV is a former senior leader of PMC Wagner and reportedly now holds a position in the Russian Ministry of Defense. ANTON OLEGOVICH ELIZAREV is a former commander in PMC Wagner. STANISLAV ALEXANDROVICH ORLOV is a commander of a private military company that has operated in Ukraine. MIKHAIL VICTOROVICH TURKANOV is a member of a private military company that has operated in Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, JOINT STOCK COMPANY BARNAUL CARTRIDGE PLANT, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: SHOOTING CENTER ALTAY SHOOTING LTD (SHOOTING CENTER ALTAY) is a shooting range owned by JOINT STOCK COMPANY BARNAUL CARTRIDGE PLANT. Additionally, Shooting Center Altay reportedly has been used by PMC Wagner-affiliated individuals to conduct trainings. Continued Targeting of Russian State-Owned Enterprises The Department is further targeting Russian state-owned enterprises in the automotive sector, which continues to be a key aspect of the Russian military industrial base, as well as the state-owned enterprise involved in the development of the Russian Far East and Russian Arctic regions. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designed for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: JOINT STOCK COMPANY FAR EAST AND ARCTIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (JSC KRDV) is the management company responsible for coordinating investment projects in the Free Port of Vladivostok, the Special Administrative Region on Russky Island, and the advanced special economic zones in the Far Eastern and Arctic regions of Russia. The following ten entities are majority owned by JSC KRDV and coordinate future energy and mining projects, among others, in their respective titular region. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), all ten entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, JSC KRDV: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV PRIMORYE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV AMURSKAYA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV BURYATIYA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV CHUKOTKA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV KAMCHATKA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV MURMANSK LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV SAKHALIN AND KURILY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV YAKUTIYA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV YUZHNAYA YAKUTIYA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KRDV ZABAYKALYE Pursuant to section 1(a)(iv), the following entity is being designated for being a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of the Russian Federation: FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE CENTRAL ORDER OF THE RED BANNER SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AUTOMOBILE AND AUTOMOTIVE ENGINES INSTITUTE NAMI (NAMI) is the parent company of several entities conducting engineering research, manufacturing, and sales of automotives in Russia. NAMI is included in a list of strategic enterprises essential for the national defense and security of Russia and is subordinate to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, NAMI, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AUTO HOLDING (AUTO HOLDING) is a Russia-based holding company owned by NAMI. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following NAMI-affiliated entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SHUSHARY AVTO produces motor vehicles. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AURUS produces motor vehicles. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FIBET NAMI ADVANCED ENGINEERING is an automobile and auto parts company located in Russia and conducts sales of spare parts and accessories for cars and industrial vehicles. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NAMI INNOVATIVE COMPONENTS produces components and accessories for motor vehicles. PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR MALIGN ACTORS The Department is also taking further action today to target a range of individuals and entities involved in supporting the Russian government’s war effort and other malign activities. Targeting a Russian Proxy Authority in Occupied Territories of Ukraine VITALIY VIKTOROVICH BULYUK (BULYUK) is a so-called deputy head of the Russian-backed military-civilian administration of the Kherson Region. BULYUK is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(ii)(F) for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation. Targeting Individuals Supporting Russia’s Expropriation of Foreign Companies The Department continues to impose sanctions to highlight the Government of the Russian Federation’s seizure of Russian subsidiaries of foreign companies. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following individuals are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: VASILI VLADISLAVOVICH NIKONOV was appointed interim CEO of PJSC Unipro, the Russian subsidiary of Germany’s Uniper that has been placed under “temporary control” by the Government of the Russian Federation. VYACHESLAV EVGENEVICH KOZHEVNIKOV was appointed the interim CEO of PAO Forward Energo, the Russian subsidiary of Finland’s Fortum that has been placed under “temporary control” by the Government of the Russian Federation. Targeting Russia’s Malign Influence in Moldova The Department is imposing sanctions on MARINA TAUBER (TAUBER), chief representative in Moldova of ILAN MIRONOVICH SHOR (SHOR), a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order. During last year’s local elections, TAUBER helped the fugitive, U.S.-sanctioned SHOR shift his party apparatus from the U.S.-sanctioned SHOR PARTY to other parties and subvert Moldova’s electoral process through illegal vote buying on behalf of the Kremlin. SHOR has demonstrated his intent to use his malign criminal network, and TAUBER as his chief representative, to wage similar subversion campaigns in upcoming election cycles. Moldovans deserve free and fair democratic processes. The United States supports Moldova’s progress on democratic and economic reforms and a future free from the grip of the Kremlin’s malign influence. We will continue to promote accountability for those who try to subvert the will of the Moldovan electorate. TAUBER is described as SHOR’s second-in-command and has directed the operations of SHOR’s malign networks in Moldova, as well as operations of the SHOR PARTY, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order. TAUBER is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, SHOR, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order. The Network of Sergey Gordeev SERGEY EDUARDOVICH GORDEEV (GORDEEV) is a Russian businessman whose ventures have benefitted from connections to SULIEMAN ABUSAIDOVICH KERIMOV and SERGEY SEMYONOVICH SOBYANIN, persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order. GORDEEV is the founder, general manager, and owner of LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HOLDING FINANCE. GORDEEV is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy. Additionally, two of GORDEEV’s affiliated companies have allegedly been recruiting contract soldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HOLDING FINANCE (HOLDING FINANCE) is involved in investments in securities and dealer activities. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PIK PLUS (PIK PLUS) is involved in investments in securities and dealer activities. INTERNATIONAL COMPANY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY LEDAMEN (LEDAMEN) is located in Kaliningrad, Russia and is involved in investments in securities. Additionally, GORDEEV is the General Director of LEDAMEN. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INZHTEPLOPROGRESS (INZHTEP) is a construction company located in Russia. INZHTEP is allegedly involved in the recruitment of contract soldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY PIK SPECIALIZED HOMEBUILDER (PIK) is a construction company located in Russia. Additionally, GORDEEV was the head of PIK until September 28, 2022. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, PIK, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PIK KORPORATSIYA (PIK KORPORATSIYA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of PIK and is involved in construction activities. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, PIK KORPORATSIYA, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PIK GENPODRYAD (GENPODRYAD) is majority owned by PIK KORPORATSIYA. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, GENPODRYAD, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GENERAL CONTRACTOR MFS (GP-MFS) is owned by GENPODRYAD. GP-MFS is allegedly involved in the recruitment of contract soldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Network of Andrey Komarov ANDREY ILYICH KOMAROV (KOMAROV) is a Russian businessman active in various sectors of the Russian Federation economy. Ministry of Trade and Industry officials within the Government of the Russian Federation have planned to use ANDREY KOMAROV as a front man to acquire companies for Rostec. KOMAROV is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy. KOMAROV is also the founder and owner of LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SEPTEMBER (SEPTEMBER), which is active in the construction sector. SEPTEMBER is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, KOMAROV, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OKTYABR (OKTYABR) is solely owned by KOMAROV and is a facilities management company for KOMAROV’s companies. The Department is taking action to target a wide range of additional entities connected to KOMAROV’s corporate network. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CYBERSTEEL (CYBERSTEEL) is one of Russia’s leading suppliers of stainless-steel tubular products. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CYBERSTEEL ALABUGA (CYBERSTEEL ALABUGA) is involved in the manufacturing of steel pipes, hollow profiles and fittings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CYBERSTEEL PROJECT 2 (CYBERSTEEL PROJECT 2) is involved in the manufacturing of steel pipes, hollow profiles and fittings. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HS INVESTMENTS (HS INVESTMENTS) is a Russia-based holding company. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HS INVESTMENTS, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PRESSMAN SOFT PACKAGING NOVGOROD is involved in the manufacturing of other paper and cardboard products in Velikiy Novgorod, Russia. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PRESSMAN PREMIUM PACKAGING NOVGOROD (PRESSMAN PREMIUM PACKAGING NOVGOROD) is a Russia-based company that operates in the paper product manufacturing industry. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PRESSMAN PREMIUM PACKAGING SPB (PRESSMAN PREMIUM PACKAGING SPB) manufactures paper and cardboard products in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY START (START) is a Russia-based holding company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HYPERSPACE (HYPERSPACE) is a Russia-based holding company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY THREEAGRO (THREEAGRO) is a Russia-based holding company. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GORA GOLDEN RATIO (GORA) is a Russia-based holding company. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GORA GOLDEN RATIO, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KAMCHATSKAYA GORNAYA KOMPANIYA is a Russia-based company that was founded by and is solely owned by GORA. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TIKHOOKEANSKAYA GORNAYA KOMPANIYA is a Russia-based company that was founded by and is solely owned by GORA. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the accounting sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DIGITAL CENTER HYPERSPACE is a Russia-based company that operates in the accounting and tax preparation industry. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ZHELTUGINSKAYA MINING COMPANY (ZHELTUGINSKAYA) is a Russia-based company that is involved in the mining of ore and precious metal dusts. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY RIMERA ALNAS (RIMERA ALNAS) is a Russia-based company that operates in the machinery and equipment manufacturing industry. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY IZHNEFTEMASH (IZHNEFTEMASH) is a Russia-based company that operates in the machinery and equipment manufacturing industry. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY RIMERA (LLC RIMERA) is a Russia-based company that operates in the machinery and equipment manufacturing industry. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following are being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FEDOROVO MINERALZ is a holding company in Russia majority owned by START. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FEDOROVO KHOLDING is a holding company in Russia. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY BYSTRINSKAYA MINING COMPANY is a Russia-based company that is involved in the mining of ores of other non-ferrous metals, as well as mining of ores and sands of precious metals. JOINT STOCK COMPANY FEDOROVO RISORSES is a Russia-based company involved in mining of ores of other non-ferrous metals. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i), the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the management consulting sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY RIMERA (JSC RIMERA) is a Russia-based company that provides consulting services. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, JSC RIMERA, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY RIMERA SERVIS (RIMERA SERVIS) is a Russia-based company solely owned by JSC RIMERA that provides services to oil and natural gas companies. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY API FAKTORI (API FAKTORI) is a Russia-based company solely owned by JSC RIMERA that conducts research and development in natural sciences and engineering. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HYPERSPACE TECHNOLOGIES (HYPERSPACE TECHNOLOGIES) is a Russia-based company solely owned by JSC RIMERA that conducts computer programming activities. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii), the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY HYPERSPACE, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the Order: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY VARNA MINERALS is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in geological exploration and geochemical studies. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GEYSER GOLD is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in geological exploration and geochemical studies. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DATA 51 is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in geological exploration and geochemical studies. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INNOVATIVE EDUCATION is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in real estate management. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TERRA GRUP is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in land purchasing and sales. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY URAL EDUCATIONAL RESIDENCE is a Russia-based company solely owned by HYPERSPACE involved in real estate management. Targeting Individuals Involved in the Forced Transfer, Deportation, and/or “Re-education” of Ukraine’s Children The Department continues to impose sanctions on persons involved in the forcible transfer and/or deportation of Ukraine’s children to camps promoting indoctrination of children in Russia, Belarus, and Russia-occupied Crimea. Today’s actions demonstrate the United States’ commitment to promoting accountability for the atrocities and other abuses inflicted by the Government of the Russian Federation on the people of Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(ii)(F), the following individuals are being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: BORIS VYACHESLAVOVICH GRYZLOV (GRYZLOV) is the current Russian Ambassador to Belarus and is involved in transferring Ukrainian children to Belarus. GRYZLOV has stated that children will continue to be deported from Ukraine as a part of the official policy of the Government of the Russian Federation. DMITRIY FEDOROVICH MEZENTSEV (MEZENTSEV) is the Secretary of State of the Union State between Belarus and Russia. MEZENTSEV is Russia’s former Ambassador to Belarus and has personally helped organize the transportation of children from Ukraine to Belarus. MEZENTSEV announced a resolution from the Union State to “host” 1,050 children from Ukraine in Belarus and has visited camps where deported children from Ukraine are staying. ALEXEY KONSTANTINOVICH TALAI (TALAI) and his foundation have orchestrated the transport of multiple groups of children from Ukraine to Belarus. The deportations to Belarus have been funded by the Union State, an economic and political union between Moscow and Minsk. The Union State had already given tens of millions of rubbles to support TALAI’s efforts. ALLA VIKTOROVNA BARKHATNOVA (BARKHATNOVA) is the so-called Head of the Department of Labor and Social Policy of Russia’s occupation administration in Kherson and stated that occupation authorities in Kherson Oblast are working to increase the number of children who go on “trips” to “health recreation” camps in Russia. BARKHATNOVA is also identified as being personally involved in the transportation of Ukrainian children. VITALIY KONSTANTINOVICH GANCHEV is the Head of the Military-Civilian Administration of Russia’s occupation administration in the Kharkiv Region and is identified as being one of the individuals involved in deporting and “re-educating” Ukrainian children. Pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(A), the following individuals are being designated for being or having been leaders, officials, senior executive officers, or members of the board of directors of the Government of the Russian Federation: VLADIMIR VIKTOROVICH KHROMOV (KHROMOV) is a Representative for the Commissioner of Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation and is involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children from Russia-occupied regions of Ukraine. AKHMED MAKHMUDOVICH DUDAEV (DUDAEV) is the Minister of National Policy, Foreign Relations, Press and Information of Chechnya and organized trips to deport Ukrainian children. Imposing Visa Restrictions on Russian Federation-installed Purported Authorities Involved in Human Rights Abuses in Connection with the Transfer, Deportation and Confinement of Ukraine’s Children Additionally, the Department is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on five Russia-installed purported officials, including one immediate family member, for their involvement in human rights abuses of Ukrainian civilian minors, in connection with the transfer, deportation, and confinement of Ukraine’s children by Russian Federation and Russia-backed authorities. This action is taken under the Immigration and Nationality Act 212(a)(3)(C) visa policy approved by Secretary Blinken in May 2022 to restrict visa issuance to Russian Federation military officials and Russia-backed or Russia-installed purported authorities who are believed to have been involved in human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, or public corruption in Ukraine, and immediate family members of such individuals, as appropriate. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today’s sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with E.O. 14024, as amended, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, all individuals or entities that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. The power and integrity of U.S. government sanctions derive not only from the U.S. government’s ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. Petitions for removal from the SDN List may be sent to: OFAC.Reconsideration@treasury.gov. Petitioners may also refer to the Department of State’s Delisting Guidance page. For more information on E.O. 14024, as amended, see full text. # # # Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kritenbrink’s Travel to Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Brunei 02/23/2024 Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kritenbrink’s Travel to Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Brunei 02/23/2024 11:09 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink will travel to Singapore; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Bangkok, Thailand; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, February 23-March 4 to underscore the United States’ strong and enduring commitment to its allies and partners in Southeast Asia. In Singapore, Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink will co-lead the U.S.-Singapore Strategic Partnership Dialogue alongside Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Albert Chua.  They will discuss the wide-ranging U.S.-Singapore partnership, including defense and security ties, economic cooperation, critical and emerging technology, and climate and energy. In Phnom Penh, Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink will meet with Cambodian officials to advance our shared vision of a free, prosperous, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific.  The Assistant Secretary will also underscore U.S. commitment to the Cambodian people and their aspirations for a democratic and independent country where all voices are heard and respected, and Cambodia’s sovereignty is protected. In Bangkok, Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink will co-lead the 9th U.S.-Thailand Strategic Dialogue alongside Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Eksiri Pintaruchi.  He will also co-lead the Second Strategic and Defense Dialogue alongside Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Jedidiah Royal.  During these two dialogues, under the auspices of the U.S.-Thai Communiqué on Strategic Alliance and Partnership, the Assistant Secretary will work to advance bilateral cooperation in areas of shared interest including economic growth, climate change, global health, security cooperation, and people-to-people ties. In Hanoi, Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink will meet with Vietnamese officials and participate in the Asia-Pacific Dialogue.  Building on the recent upgrade of U.S.-Vietnam ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the Assistant Secretary will seek to further deepen U.S.-Vietnam relations and advance our shared vision of a prosperous, open, resilient, and peaceful Indo-Pacific Region. In Bandar Seri Begawan, Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink will commemorate the 40th anniversary of U.S.-Brunei relations.  He will also meet with senior Bruneian officials to discuss key issues in the bilateral relationship, including economic and security initiatives, efforts to tackle climate change, and regional cooperation. Responding to Two Years of Russia’s Full-Scale War against Ukraine and Aleksey Navalny’s Death 02/23/2024 Responding to Two Years of Russia’s Full-Scale War against Ukraine and Aleksey Navalny’s Death 02/23/2024 01:49 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Tomorrow marks two years since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  After ten years of conflict, sovereign, democratic Ukraine remains courageous in the face of formidable odds.  The United States will continue to stand resolutely with the Ukrainian people in their defense of their homeland.  Putin’s war threatens not only Ukraine, but also the security of the United States, our NATO Allies, and the free and open international order we depend on.  It is imperative that we defend the basic rules that have undergirded peace, security, and prosperity since the end of World War II, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right of states to choose their own future. The United States has built a coalition of 50 countries, including all NATO members and the G7 in defense of the freedom of a sovereign democratic nation.  Together, we will continue to impose costs on Putin’s Russia for its actions and ensure accountability for its crimes. Today, the United States’ Departments of State, Treasury, and Commerce, in coordination with our allies and partners, are taking additional new measures to respond to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, its global malign influence, and the death of Aleksey Navalny and its intensifying repression at home by sanctioning and imposing export control restrictions on more than 500 individuals and entities, our largest number of designations in a single Russia-related action.  There is a clear link between Russia’s authoritarianism, its crackdown on domestic dissent, and its aggression abroad.  We are imposing additional costs for Russia’s internal repression, the death of Aleksey Navalny, and the war against Ukraine. Specifically, the Department of State is imposing sanctions on more than 250 entities and individuals to help deprive the Russian regime of the revenue and technology it needs to prosecute its war effort and engage in destabilizing activity around the world.  Our targets include those involved in the evasion of our economic restrictions against Russia and those responsible for bolstering Russia’s future energy, metals, and mining production among others.  The Department is also taking action to promote accountability for Russian human rights abusers by pursuing visa restrictions on five Kremlin-backed individuals in Ukraine for their connection to the deportation and confinement of Ukraine’s children. The United States will use all available tools to hinder Russia’s ability to access the global financial system, disrupt Russia’s military-industrial-procurement, stand in solidarity with Russians striving for a more democratic future, and ensure Putin’s invasion remains a strategic failure for Russia. The Department of State and the Department of the Treasury sanctions actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order 14024 “Blocking Property With Respect To Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation,” as amended by E.O. 14114; and E.O. 13224, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism.”  Additional actions are pursuant to a visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorizes the Secretary of State to restrict visa issuance to Russian Federation military officials and Russia-backed or Russia-installed purported authorities who are believed to have been involved in human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, or public corruption in Ukraine.  For more information on today’s actions, please see the Department of State’s fact sheet, the Department of the Treasury’s press release, and the Department of Commerce’s press release.   Responding to Two Years of Russia’s Full-Scale War against Ukraine and Aleksey Navalny’s Death 02/23/2024 Responding to Two Years of Russia’s Full-Scale War against Ukraine and Aleksey Navalny’s Death 02/23/2024 01:49 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Tomorrow marks two years since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  After ten years of conflict, sovereign, democratic Ukraine remains courageous in the face of formidable odds.  The United States will continue to stand resolutely with the Ukrainian people in their defense of their homeland.  Putin’s war threatens not only Ukraine, but also the security of the United States, our NATO Allies, and the free and open international order we depend on.  It is imperative that we defend the basic rules that have undergirded peace, security, and prosperity since the end of World War II, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right of states to choose their own future. The United States has built a coalition of 50 countries, including all NATO members and the G7 in defense of the freedom of a sovereign democratic nation.  Together, we will continue to impose costs on Putin’s Russia for its actions and ensure accountability for its crimes. Today, the United States’ Departments of State, Treasury, and Commerce, in coordination with our allies and partners, are taking additional new measures to respond to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, its global malign influence, and the death of Aleksey Navalny and its intensifying repression at home by sanctioning and imposing export control restrictions on more than 500 individuals and entities, our largest number of designations in a single Russia-related action.  There is a clear link between Russia’s authoritarianism, its crackdown on domestic dissent, and its aggression abroad.  We are imposing additional costs for Russia’s internal repression, the death of Aleksey Navalny, and the war against Ukraine. Specifically, the Department of State is imposing sanctions on more than 250 entities and individuals to help deprive the Russian regime of the revenue and technology it needs to prosecute its war effort and engage in destabilizing activity around the world.  Our targets include those involved in the evasion of our economic restrictions against Russia and those responsible for bolstering Russia’s future energy, metals, and mining production among others.  The Department is also taking action to promote accountability for Russian human rights abusers by pursuing visa restrictions on five Kremlin-backed individuals in Ukraine for their connection to the deportation and confinement of Ukraine’s children. The United States will use all available tools to hinder Russia’s ability to access the global financial system, disrupt Russia’s military-industrial-procurement, stand in solidarity with Russians striving for a more democratic future, and ensure Putin’s invasion remains a strategic failure for Russia. The Department of State and the Department of the Treasury sanctions actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order 14024 “Blocking Property With Respect To Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation,” as amended by E.O. 14114; and E.O. 13224, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism.”  Additional actions are pursuant to a visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorizes the Secretary of State to restrict visa issuance to Russian Federation military officials and Russia-backed or Russia-installed purported authorities who are believed to have been involved in human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, or public corruption in Ukraine.  For more information on today’s actions, please see the Department of State’s fact sheet, the Department of the Treasury’s press release, and the Department of Commerce’s press release.   Responding to Two Years of Russia’s Full-Scale War against Ukraine and Aleksey Navalny’s Death 02/23/2024 Responding to Two Years of Russia’s Full-Scale War against Ukraine and Aleksey Navalny’s Death 02/23/2024 01:49 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Tomorrow marks two years since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  After ten years of conflict, sovereign, democratic Ukraine remains courageous in the face of formidable odds.  The United States will continue to stand resolutely with the Ukrainian people in their defense of their homeland.  Putin’s war threatens not only Ukraine, but also the security of the United States, our NATO Allies, and the free and open international order we depend on.  It is imperative that we defend the basic rules that have undergirded peace, security, and prosperity since the end of World War II, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right of states to choose their own future. The United States has built a coalition of 50 countries, including all NATO members and the G7 in defense of the freedom of a sovereign democratic nation.  Together, we will continue to impose costs on Putin’s Russia for its actions and ensure accountability for its crimes. Today, the United States’ Departments of State, Treasury, and Commerce, in coordination with our allies and partners, are taking additional new measures to respond to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, its global malign influence, and the death of Aleksey Navalny and its intensifying repression at home by sanctioning and imposing export control restrictions on more than 500 individuals and entities, our largest number of designations in a single Russia-related action.  There is a clear link between Russia’s authoritarianism, its crackdown on domestic dissent, and its aggression abroad.  We are imposing additional costs for Russia’s internal repression, the death of Aleksey Navalny, and the war against Ukraine. Specifically, the Department of State is imposing sanctions on more than 250 entities and individuals to help deprive the Russian regime of the revenue and technology it needs to prosecute its war effort and engage in destabilizing activity around the world.  Our targets include those involved in the evasion of our economic restrictions against Russia and those responsible for bolstering Russia’s future energy, metals, and mining production among others.  The Department is also taking action to promote accountability for Russian human rights abusers by pursuing visa restrictions on five Kremlin-backed individuals in Ukraine for their connection to the deportation and confinement of Ukraine’s children. The United States will use all available tools to hinder Russia’s ability to access the global financial system, disrupt Russia’s military-industrial-procurement, stand in solidarity with Russians striving for a more democratic future, and ensure Putin’s invasion remains a strategic failure for Russia. The Department of State and the Department of the Treasury sanctions actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order 14024 “Blocking Property With Respect To Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation,” as amended by E.O. 14114; and E.O. 13224, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism.”  Additional actions are pursuant to a visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorizes the Secretary of State to restrict visa issuance to Russian Federation military officials and Russia-backed or Russia-installed purported authorities who are believed to have been involved in human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, or public corruption in Ukraine.  For more information on today’s actions, please see the Department of State’s fact sheet, the Department of the Treasury’s press release, and the Department of Commerce’s press release.   Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino At a Joint Press Availability 02/23/2024 Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino At a Joint Press Availability 02/23/2024 03:16 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Buenos Aires, Argentina Casa Rosada MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) Good morning.  In the press room of Argentine government house, after the meeting with the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, the Foreign Minister of Argentina Diana Mondino, and the Secretary of State of the United States Antony Blinken will offer a press conference. We are joined by federal authorities and members of the visiting delegation.  To start off the conference, the minister of foreign affairs, international trade, and worship of Argentina will first take the floor. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) Thank you very much to all of you for being here.  I’m breaking the protocol, because I should actually be thanking Mr. Blinken and the ambassador of the United States and the delegation much more for all of the effort and time putting into  not just visiting Argentina but also to trying to understand the enormous changes we’re undertaking in Argentina. This is a bilateral relationship which we hope will continue to bear fruit.  And especially we would like to see Argentina and the United States showcase their shared values – basically democracy and freedom. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Well, thank you very, very much, and I first am very, very pleased to be back in Argentina today.  I have to say, every time I’ve been here, I have to reflect on the fact that for me at least, this – Buenos Aires has to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and it’s striking every single time. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  Because you’ve never been to Cordoba. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Next time.  I’ll go – we’ll do that.  But we just had a very, very productive first meeting with President Milei, with the foreign minister – in fact, with many members of the cabinet.  And I very much appreciate the president’s time, but also the depth of the conversation, the detail.  And I think it reflects the strong desire on the part of both the United States and – I won’t speak for Argentina, but I think the foreign minister just did – the part of Argentina to deepen and strengthen the ties between our countries even more. At the top of our agenda is finding ways to grow even more the trade and investment between our countries.  The United States is already the leading provider of foreign direct investment in Argentina, but we see tremendous opportunity to do more.  And the people of Argentina can count on us as you work to stabilize your economy, to protect and lift up every segment of your society, to improve the business climate, to remove barriers to high-standard job-creating investment.  You can count on us to be a partner in those efforts.  We see extraordinary investment opportunity here in Argentina, and we want American companies to remain Argentina’s partner of choice. We talked about some concrete steps to expand our partnership in a number of key sectors.  One of the most important to our shared future – in fact, one of the most important to the entire planet – is clean energy.  Argentina is poised to play a critical role in building supply chains for critical minerals that will drive the economy of the 21st century, particularly things like lithium. Our own companies are already making substantial investments here in Argentina to mine and to process these critical minerals, mostly in Argentina’s northwest.  Our own International Development Finance Corporation and something we launched called the Mineral Securities Partnership, they are looking at identifying new investment opportunities, new projects.  These collaborations will produce good jobs.  They’ll strengthen our competitiveness, and they’ll help the transition to a more resilient climate future. We look forward to looking at further concrete opportunities through something we’re now about to embark upon, which is a high-level energy security dialogue. Beyond the economic partnership between our countries, we value Argentina’s leadership on regional and global security issues.  Now, tomorrow will mark two years since the Russian re-invasion of Ukraine.  Today, the United States Government, in coordination with many allies and partners, is taking additional new measures to respond to Russia’s full-scale war and intensifying repression at home by sanctioning and imposing export control restrictions on more than 500 individuals and entities.  That is the largest number of designations that we’ve yet taken in a single Russia-related action. Argentina has been an important member of the global coalition to stand up for the principles at the heart of the United Nations Charter that are being threatened by Russia’s aggression; a key part of the coalition as well to ensure that Russia’s actions in Ukraine remain a strategic failure and a key partner in helping Ukraine stand on its own two feet – militarily, economically, democratically. Argentina is supporting Ukraine at the United Nations, at the UN Human Rights Council, and elsewhere on the world stage.  It’s helping urge support within this hemisphere for Ukraine; and will continue to do so through an upcoming Ukraine-Latin America summit.  And it’s providing lifesaving humanitarian assistance – food, medicine, clothing, support for refugees. President Milei and I also discussed our recent visits to the Middle East and the conflict between Israel and Hamas.  I appreciate President Milei’s strong condemnation of October 7th and his support for Israel’s right to ensure that such an attack never happens again.  I had an – a chance to update briefly our partners on our efforts to secure the release of hostages in Gaza and to get an extended humanitarian ceasefire; at the same time, to increase assistance to Palestinians who so desperately need it, to reduce civilian casualties, and prevent the conflict from spreading, as we work at the same time toward a longer-term just and lasting peace that can end this cycle of violence once and for all. While we’re very thankful that two Argentinians were rescued by Israeli forces this month, we know that more still remain captive.  We’re determined to get them, to get every hostage home safely and as soon as possible. We discussed some challenges in our own hemisphere, including in Venezuela and in Haiti.  Improving Haiti’s security is in our collective interest, and I deeply appreciate that Minister Mondino was with us yesterday in an important meeting on the margins of the G20 to mobilize resources and planning for the UN-authorized multinational security support mission.  As chair of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States, Argentina plays a critical role upholding this hemisphere’s democratic values, speaking out clearly against the erosion of the rule of law and human rights, including in Cuba, in Nicaragua, in Venezuela. We talked today about the importance of leading by example, and working together to realize the full promise of our democracies.  And that starts in many ways with acknowledging our own shortcomings, not sweeping them under the rug, and that’s one of the strengths that our countries – the United States and Argentina – bring to this challenge.  Argentina has a strong and long history of addressing labor rights, the rights of women and girls, human rights more broadly.  Those areas continue to be important areas of cooperation for the United States and Argentina.  I had the opportunity to learn more and to see Argentina’s very vibrant democratic tradition today at the Plaza de Mayo and the Cabildo.  When we hold our next high-level human rights dialogue in the coming months, we’ll focus on advancing equity, inclusion, and justice in our own communities, and we’ll be looking at signing an MOU to support those efforts. The bottom line is that the United States and Argentina are working together on just about every issue of consequence to our people but also to people around the world, from critical minerals in the ground to our collaboration through the Artemis Accords in outer space.  We look forward to expanding this partnership in the months and years to come.  And with that, again, I thank you for the very warm hospitality and the very good meeting. MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) We’ll now move on to the questions by the press.  For the United States first, John Hudson from The Washington Post. QUESTION:  Thank you very much.  Mr. Secretary, the topic of genocide has been debated during this trip.  I was wondering if you could give us a better sense of what you think about the topic.  One of your first major remarks as Secretary of State was accusing Beijing of genocide.  Why do you think China’s treatment of the Uyghurs constitutes this crime and Israel’s treatment of Palestinians does not? Also, any reaction to Netanyahu’s post-war plan for Gaza?  Calls for the establishment of a buffer zone inside Gaza seems to contradict some of the principles that were laid out in Tokyo.  And then finally, any response to Israel’s latest purported plans for settlement expansion? Minister Mondino, thank you for welcoming us. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  Yeah.  Would you mind putting your microphone closer to your mouth? QUESTION:  Of course.  My apologies.  My apologies.  Thanks for welcoming us to your wonderful capital.  It’s exceedingly rare to have an Argentine president who openly admires the United States, but President Milei also commonly attacks ideas that President Biden professes to espouse, like feminism and social justice.  Are these two leaders compatible?  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  John, thank you very much, and let me make sure I cover everything that you raised.  Look, on the genocide question, I think we’ve been very clear over many months and now many years about the Uyghurs, about the Rohingya, and others.  And we’ve laid out in some detail – in fact, I had the opportunity to lay out some detail when it came to the Rohingya, exactly, why we see the genocide being perpetrated.  Similarly, including very recently before the international court, we had an opportunity and others have had an opportunity to make clear why that is simply not the case when it comes to Gaza.  And we’ve been very clear about the meritless nature of that particular charge.  So, I’m not going to rehearse the details here, but I think the record is very clear on that. Setting that aside, as you know, as we’ve spoken extensively about, we are determined to see the conflict in Gaza end as soon as possible – in a way that ensures that October 7th can never happen again, but also that the suffering that Palestinians have endured doesn’t happen again.  In the first instance, we’re focused on getting the hostages out, getting an extended humanitarian ceasefire, and building on that even as we look toward the longer term and getting on a genuinely durable path to lasting peace and security for everyone concerned. With regards to the post-war Gaza plan that you referred to, look, I’ve seen the reports.  I haven’t actually seen the plan, so I want to reserve judgement until we actually see the details.  Having said that, you know that there are certain basic principles that we set out many months ago that we feel are very important when it comes to Gaza’s future, including that it cannot be a platform for terrorism.  There should be no Israeli reoccupation of Gaza.  The size of Gaza’s territory should not be reduced.  So, we want to make sure that any plan that emerges is consistent with those principles.  There are other principles, but those are three of the most important ones. At the same time, we have many countries in the region that are working together on a plan for post-conflict Gaza.  I think that’s very important, and I’ve spent some time with some of our Arab partners, including recently on the margins of the G20, talking about that – just as we did when we were at the Munich Security Conference together.  So, it’s important that we have, again, a plan, which is absolutely necessary, but one also that’s consistent with basic principles that I think many countries share about what has to be Gaza’s future. Finally, I think you referred to the settlements.  Well, look, we just saw another horrific terrorist attack, and this in Ma’ale Adumim.  And my first thought is with the victims of that attack.  And we continue, will continue – excuse me – to fully support Israel’s right to security, to self-defense, and to dealing with terrorism. On settlements, we’ve seen the reports, and I have to say we’re disappointed in the announcement.  It’s been longstanding U.S. policy under Republican and Democratic administrations alike that new settlements are counterproductive to reaching an enduring peace.  They’re also inconsistent with international law.  Our administration maintains a firm opposition to settlement expansion.  And in our judgement, this only weakens – it doesn’t strengthen – Israel’s security. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) (In progress) a great way of showing what we expect in the relationship, not only with the U.S.  We are willing and eager to support democracy and common values, most particularly freedom, in most countries in the world that are already abide by those comments, and hopefully someday every single country in the world will be doing that.  So, we do have a lot of things in common with the U.S. and with many other liberal democracies.  We hope that it can be sustained, and we can show it to the world. As regards what you mentioned attacking to women, well that is not true – definitely not true.  When people say something wrong, we believe in equal rights and we believe in equal treatment, and that has never happened.  Actually, we have a most comprehensive law and agreement with this.  And if you want to see – even the cabinet in this government, we have a lot of – a lot of women participating.  But it is not an attack on women.  It is on the ideas.  This is very, very, very different. And as regards social justice, I have to comment – I know this is very peculiar to Argentina, because when we talk about social justice, it’s a comment that it hasn’t been ingrained in Argentina whether to help someone, they take away from somebody else.  Whereas to our understanding, social justice should be to give each and every one equal opportunities and the possibilities of keeping whatever they are helping produce, but not taking away from somebody else. And as regards to whether leaders are compatible or not, well, why not?  I mean, everybody supports the same ideas.  It’s good.  And even if they didn’t, we live in a very complicated world; we all need to work to common objectives.  That’s what’s really very important. MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) For Argentina’s press, Miguel Nicolich from the Radio Rivadavia radio station. QUESTION:  (Via interpreter) Thank you.  Mr. Blinken, what does Joe Biden think about other nations going for dollarization of their economies?  Given the possibility of the Argentine Government rescheduling its foreign debt, will it be able to rely on Biden administration support? And Minister Mondino, what’s your view of a visit by a Secretary of State from the U.S. after such a long time? SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you.  First, as I said more generally, we see extraordinary opportunity here in Argentina.  But maybe most important, what’s so evident is that Argentina has what the world actually needs – and we want to be a partner in Argentina helping to feed the world and fuel the world going forward.  And you can see that very powerfully. Now, the work that’s being done to stabilize the economy is absolutely vital.  And as that moves forward and with success – and again, we’d like to do what we can to help in that success – I think that opens the doors to extraordinary opportunity in these areas and many more that the United States will be a part of. When it comes to the question of dollarization, that’s up to Argentina.  And of course, we look forward to hearing any plans and to discussing more, but this is a decision for Argentina to make. And on the IMF – look, we support an agreement between Argentina and the IMF.  The IMF has been, can be, a very important tool promoting the stabilization of Argentina’s economy and the work that is ongoing, the very important work that’s ongoing. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) Well, it is a pleasure for us to host a U.S. Secretary of State, but I should say that our administration took office on the 10th of December, and in February we had the under secretary of Treasury, the deputy secretary of Defense.  We’ll have the under secretary of the energy affairs department and the man responsible for policy planning.  We’ll soon have the chief of the South Command in April.  So, we’ve had visits focusing on trying to understand what the best way is for us to work together, but above all things to find the best way for Argentina to be able to fulfill its true goals. And you asked me another question which I’ve now forgotten. QUESTION:  (Via interpreter) So what’s your assessment of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State after such a long time. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) Well, of course, it’s a highly positive assessment.  We’ve been able to share our plans and ideas.  We’ve also talked a lot about the freedom of currency.  It’s true that here we tend to easily speak about dollarization, but the notion is a lot broader.  It’s about freedom of currency.  This might be somewhat hard to understand from elsewhere, but for those of us living in context of very high inflation, it’s much more relatable. MODERATOR:  And now for the United States a question from Nike Ching from Voice of America. QUESTION:  Good afternoon, Secretary Blinken.  The United States has renewed its support for Ukraine with the largest package of economic sanctions and economic restrictions on Russia, but many analysts say that Biden and the administration sanctions on Russia have failed to change Putin’s behavior.  How do you think the new set of sanctions might have more impact?  Is the U.S. out of options on changing Russia’s behavior through economic penalties?  Is the Biden administration considering designating Russia as a sponsor of terrorism to put more pressure? And separately, if I may, President Milei is flying to Washington later today to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC.  You and President Biden always said that you don’t get involved in other countries’ domestic politics.  How do you assess this development? And for Minister Mondino, thank you for welcoming us to this beautiful country.  A similar question to you.  Can you confirm President Milei will meet with former U.S. President Trump on the sidelines of CPAC?  What is your government’s message to the American people during the campaign year?  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you, I’m happy to start.  With regard to sanctions being imposed on Russia for its aggression against Ukraine, first it’s important to note that it’s, of course, not just the United States.  It’s dozens of countries around the world that have imposed these sanctions, export controls, and other restrictions on Russia because of the aggression – the aggression not only against the Ukrainian people but the aggression against the very principles that are so important to maintaining the international system – territorial integrity, freedom, making sure that countries have the right to decide their own futures.  So, the world has been very clear on this. I believe that already these sanctions, these restrictions, have had a significant impact on Russia both in its ability to prosecute its aggression, but – even more, we see that they’re going to have a growing and long-term impact on Russia.  Its ability to modernize its industries – whether it’s defense industry, aeronautics, energy extraction, all of the technology that’s being denied it as a result of its actions – will have an increasingly heavier and heavier impact.   The fact, of course, that so many people have left Russia – more than a million – including many of the most educated involved in science and technology and production, that’s also going to have a profound impact. So, we see this playing out both in the immediate, but we’re also seeing it playing out over the long term.  I’d just emphasize that the actions that were taken today – the State Department, the Treasury Department, the Commerce Department – these new measures against Russia, in the wake of the death of Aleksey Navalny, the two-year anniversary of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine – and actually a decade of aggression against Ukraine – I think will also have a real impact.  Five hundred individuals and entities, this is the largest number of people or – or entities designated in a single action taken by the United States. We’re also taking action against three individuals specifically in connection with the death of Alexey Navalny: the prison warden, the regional prison head, the deputy director of the Federal Penitentiary Service.  What I heard and saw when so many countries of the world were together, both in Munich recently but also at the G20 in Brazil, was outrage at what Russia had done to Mr. Navalny – as I’ve said, over a decade, persecuting him, poisoning him, imprisoning him, and now his death.  So, I think that will be felt strongly as well. One final thing here.  I think this only underscores the imperative of the House of Representatives passing the supplemental budget request that President Biden has put forward.  This is urgent funding for what Ukraine needs to be able to do to continue to resist, as it’s done so effectively, Russia’s aggression.  Also, this will be a very positive investment in our own defense industrial base, because virtually all of the monies involved for up for Ukraine’s defense will go into production in the United States. With regard to President Milei, look, I can’t speak to his schedule and future meetings.  That’s of course entirely up to him.  All I can speak to is the meeting that we just had, and I can tell you, following on what the foreign minister said, that it was – from my perspective, at least, an incredibly positive, productive, detailed, wide-ranging discussion.  And it only underscored the fact that, for both of our countries, there’s a strong desire and a strong intent to deepen and strengthen our relationship.  And I went through many of the areas where we intend to do that.  So, I could not be more pleased on behalf of President Biden with the meeting we just had, the presence and participation of so many members of the cabinet.  I think it augurs very well for the work that our two countries plan to do together in the months ahead. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) Sorry – same with me.  I don’t know whether there will be any meetings in CPAC.  I can say that since these are commercial flights, there might be delays and any schedules might be disrupted. So, I would like to add something on Ukraine.  It’s not just about territorial integrity, which of course is very important.  And in Argentina we do have our own issues in that regard.  Here we are talking about a case involving children that are not with their parents or families in Ukraine, but rather in Russia right now, and it’s hard to identify them.  So, we need to consider the topics we need to discuss, which often might seem to be only issues of economic interest, and we need to also take into account the other issues that are important for a society to live in peace. MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) Finally, for the Argentine press, Nicolás Gallardo from CNN Radio. QUESTION:  (Via interpreter) Madam Minister, Mr. Secretary, good afternoon.  The question is for Secretary Blinken.  I would like to actually pick up on some issues that have just been referred to.  First, whether the U.S. support in the context of the restructuring of debt to the IMF will translate into imminent disbursements, considering the importance of the United States on the IMF board. And the other point has to do with your trip to Brazil and the relationship with Milei.  Could Argentina become the main partner for the U.S., Biden administration, in the region even more than Brazil, considering particularly the statements made by Brazil’s President Lula on the situation in China or also with regard to Russia or Israel?  Could Argentina replace Brazil in the region, or could the relationship between the U.S. and Argentina be clouded by President Milei’s planned trip to Washington, where he will meet the former president and Republican candidate, Mr. Trump? SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you.  With regard to the first part of the question on the IMF, as I said before, the work with the IMF and the agreements that Argentina has with the IMF we see as very important, and we believe that the IMF can be a vital tool in helping to advance stabilization of Argentina’s economy.  And so, we welcome that work.  I think the IMF has been looking to Argentina to present a significant macroeconomic plan for its future.  Argentina has done so. But we look to that work continuing because it can be a vital source of strength in Argentina’s efforts to stabilize the economy and then to really grow it.  And as I mentioned before, there are so many areas of opportunity where Argentina can play a critical role in the global economy.  It already is, but there is so much more that can be done once stabilization is achieved, and the United States wants to be a partner in that. But speaking of partners, to the second part of your question, we don’t have exclusive partnerships.  We welcome working with any country that wants to join in advancing common objectives, common interests, based often on common values.  And so, the way we see it is this.  We’re living at a time where – I’ve been doing this for almost – more than 30 years now.  And I can’t think of a time in the world where we’ve had such a multiplicity of challenges, a complexity of challenges, and the fact that most of them are interconnected in ways that they weren’t before. That only underscores to me and to our administration the absolute, essential importance of working in partnership, finding new ways to cooperate, to coordinate both with individual partners – and that’s true for Argentina and the United States.  It’s also true for Brazil and the United States – but also in different arrangements of countries, in broader partnerships, in alliances, through the multilateral system, where the United States has re-engaged as well – if we’re actually going to succeed in producing results for our people, which is our responsibility. So, in our own hemisphere, it’s important to us to have the strongest possible relationships, the strongest possible partnerships with leading countries, to include Argentina, to include Brazil. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) If I may add something, I had been spared of questions from you so far.  Brazil is Argentina’s main partner, but it doesn’t matter who the main partner is.  Your mom must have told you this when you were a child.  It doesn’t really matter if you’re the best one.  What matters is for you to be better than yesterday, and even better tomorrow. QUESTION:  (Via interpreter) I asked about Donald Trump.  So, there is no uneasiness in the White House with regard to the fact that the president, President Milei, is flying tonight to perhaps meet with Joe Biden’s rival? SECRETARY BLINKEN:  As you often – my colleagues who travel with me often hear me say, I don’t do politics.  I do policy and foreign policy in this case.  And on that basis, all I can tell you is I couldn’t be more pleased with the meeting with President Milei, with the entire team here, and also more convinced that there is a strong desire on the part of both the Government of Argentina and the Government of the United States to deepen and strengthen the partnership that we have.  Thank you. MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) This concludes the press conference.  We thank the ministers. Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino At a Joint Press Availability 02/23/2024 Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino At a Joint Press Availability 02/23/2024 03:16 PM EST Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Buenos Aires, Argentina Casa Rosada MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) Good morning.  In the press room of Argentine government house, after the meeting with the president of Argentina, Javier Milei, the Foreign Minister of Argentina Diana Mondino, and the Secretary of State of the United States Antony Blinken will offer a press conference. We are joined by federal authorities and members of the visiting delegation.  To start off the conference, the minister of foreign affairs, international trade, and worship of Argentina will first take the floor. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) Thank you very much to all of you for being here.  I’m breaking the protocol, because I should actually be thanking Mr. Blinken and the ambassador of the United States and the delegation much more for all of the effort and time putting into  not just visiting Argentina but also to trying to understand the enormous changes we’re undertaking in Argentina. This is a bilateral relationship which we hope will continue to bear fruit.  And especially we would like to see Argentina and the United States showcase their shared values – basically democracy and freedom. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Well, thank you very, very much, and I first am very, very pleased to be back in Argentina today.  I have to say, every time I’ve been here, I have to reflect on the fact that for me at least, this – Buenos Aires has to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and it’s striking every single time. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  Because you’ve never been to Cordoba. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Next time.  I’ll go – we’ll do that.  But we just had a very, very productive first meeting with President Milei, with the foreign minister – in fact, with many members of the cabinet.  And I very much appreciate the president’s time, but also the depth of the conversation, the detail.  And I think it reflects the strong desire on the part of both the United States and – I won’t speak for Argentina, but I think the foreign minister just did – the part of Argentina to deepen and strengthen the ties between our countries even more. At the top of our agenda is finding ways to grow even more the trade and investment between our countries.  The United States is already the leading provider of foreign direct investment in Argentina, but we see tremendous opportunity to do more.  And the people of Argentina can count on us as you work to stabilize your economy, to protect and lift up every segment of your society, to improve the business climate, to remove barriers to high-standard job-creating investment.  You can count on us to be a partner in those efforts.  We see extraordinary investment opportunity here in Argentina, and we want American companies to remain Argentina’s partner of choice. We talked about some concrete steps to expand our partnership in a number of key sectors.  One of the most important to our shared future – in fact, one of the most important to the entire planet – is clean energy.  Argentina is poised to play a critical role in building supply chains for critical minerals that will drive the economy of the 21st century, particularly things like lithium. Our own companies are already making substantial investments here in Argentina to mine and to process these critical minerals, mostly in Argentina’s northwest.  Our own International Development Finance Corporation and something we launched called the Mineral Securities Partnership, they are looking at identifying new investment opportunities, new projects.  These collaborations will produce good jobs.  They’ll strengthen our competitiveness, and they’ll help the transition to a more resilient climate future. We look forward to looking at further concrete opportunities through something we’re now about to embark upon, which is a high-level energy security dialogue. Beyond the economic partnership between our countries, we value Argentina’s leadership on regional and global security issues.  Now, tomorrow will mark two years since the Russian re-invasion of Ukraine.  Today, the United States Government, in coordination with many allies and partners, is taking additional new measures to respond to Russia’s full-scale war and intensifying repression at home by sanctioning and imposing export control restrictions on more than 500 individuals and entities.  That is the largest number of designations that we’ve yet taken in a single Russia-related action. Argentina has been an important member of the global coalition to stand up for the principles at the heart of the United Nations Charter that are being threatened by Russia’s aggression; a key part of the coalition as well to ensure that Russia’s actions in Ukraine remain a strategic failure and a key partner in helping Ukraine stand on its own two feet – militarily, economically, democratically. Argentina is supporting Ukraine at the United Nations, at the UN Human Rights Council, and elsewhere on the world stage.  It’s helping urge support within this hemisphere for Ukraine; and will continue to do so through an upcoming Ukraine-Latin America summit.  And it’s providing lifesaving humanitarian assistance – food, medicine, clothing, support for refugees. President Milei and I also discussed our recent visits to the Middle East and the conflict between Israel and Hamas.  I appreciate President Milei’s strong condemnation of October 7th and his support for Israel’s right to ensure that such an attack never happens again.  I had an – a chance to update briefly our partners on our efforts to secure the release of hostages in Gaza and to get an extended humanitarian ceasefire; at the same time, to increase assistance to Palestinians who so desperately need it, to reduce civilian casualties, and prevent the conflict from spreading, as we work at the same time toward a longer-term just and lasting peace that can end this cycle of violence once and for all. While we’re very thankful that two Argentinians were rescued by Israeli forces this month, we know that more still remain captive.  We’re determined to get them, to get every hostage home safely and as soon as possible. We discussed some challenges in our own hemisphere, including in Venezuela and in Haiti.  Improving Haiti’s security is in our collective interest, and I deeply appreciate that Minister Mondino was with us yesterday in an important meeting on the margins of the G20 to mobilize resources and planning for the UN-authorized multinational security support mission.  As chair of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States, Argentina plays a critical role upholding this hemisphere’s democratic values, speaking out clearly against the erosion of the rule of law and human rights, including in Cuba, in Nicaragua, in Venezuela. We talked today about the importance of leading by example, and working together to realize the full promise of our democracies.  And that starts in many ways with acknowledging our own shortcomings, not sweeping them under the rug, and that’s one of the strengths that our countries – the United States and Argentina – bring to this challenge.  Argentina has a strong and long history of addressing labor rights, the rights of women and girls, human rights more broadly.  Those areas continue to be important areas of cooperation for the United States and Argentina.  I had the opportunity to learn more and to see Argentina’s very vibrant democratic tradition today at the Plaza de Mayo and the Cabildo.  When we hold our next high-level human rights dialogue in the coming months, we’ll focus on advancing equity, inclusion, and justice in our own communities, and we’ll be looking at signing an MOU to support those efforts. The bottom line is that the United States and Argentina are working together on just about every issue of consequence to our people but also to people around the world, from critical minerals in the ground to our collaboration through the Artemis Accords in outer space.  We look forward to expanding this partnership in the months and years to come.  And with that, again, I thank you for the very warm hospitality and the very good meeting. MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) We’ll now move on to the questions by the press.  For the United States first, John Hudson from The Washington Post. QUESTION:  Thank you very much.  Mr. Secretary, the topic of genocide has been debated during this trip.  I was wondering if you could give us a better sense of what you think about the topic.  One of your first major remarks as Secretary of State was accusing Beijing of genocide.  Why do you think China’s treatment of the Uyghurs constitutes this crime and Israel’s treatment of Palestinians does not? Also, any reaction to Netanyahu’s post-war plan for Gaza?  Calls for the establishment of a buffer zone inside Gaza seems to contradict some of the principles that were laid out in Tokyo.  And then finally, any response to Israel’s latest purported plans for settlement expansion? Minister Mondino, thank you for welcoming us. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  Yeah.  Would you mind putting your microphone closer to your mouth? QUESTION:  Of course.  My apologies.  My apologies.  Thanks for welcoming us to your wonderful capital.  It’s exceedingly rare to have an Argentine president who openly admires the United States, but President Milei also commonly attacks ideas that President Biden professes to espouse, like feminism and social justice.  Are these two leaders compatible?  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  John, thank you very much, and let me make sure I cover everything that you raised.  Look, on the genocide question, I think we’ve been very clear over many months and now many years about the Uyghurs, about the Rohingya, and others.  And we’ve laid out in some detail – in fact, I had the opportunity to lay out some detail when it came to the Rohingya, exactly, why we see the genocide being perpetrated.  Similarly, including very recently before the international court, we had an opportunity and others have had an opportunity to make clear why that is simply not the case when it comes to Gaza.  And we’ve been very clear about the meritless nature of that particular charge.  So, I’m not going to rehearse the details here, but I think the record is very clear on that. Setting that aside, as you know, as we’ve spoken extensively about, we are determined to see the conflict in Gaza end as soon as possible – in a way that ensures that October 7th can never happen again, but also that the suffering that Palestinians have endured doesn’t happen again.  In the first instance, we’re focused on getting the hostages out, getting an extended humanitarian ceasefire, and building on that even as we look toward the longer term and getting on a genuinely durable path to lasting peace and security for everyone concerned. With regards to the post-war Gaza plan that you referred to, look, I’ve seen the reports.  I haven’t actually seen the plan, so I want to reserve judgement until we actually see the details.  Having said that, you know that there are certain basic principles that we set out many months ago that we feel are very important when it comes to Gaza’s future, including that it cannot be a platform for terrorism.  There should be no Israeli reoccupation of Gaza.  The size of Gaza’s territory should not be reduced.  So, we want to make sure that any plan that emerges is consistent with those principles.  There are other principles, but those are three of the most important ones. At the same time, we have many countries in the region that are working together on a plan for post-conflict Gaza.  I think that’s very important, and I’ve spent some time with some of our Arab partners, including recently on the margins of the G20, talking about that – just as we did when we were at the Munich Security Conference together.  So, it’s important that we have, again, a plan, which is absolutely necessary, but one also that’s consistent with basic principles that I think many countries share about what has to be Gaza’s future. Finally, I think you referred to the settlements.  Well, look, we just saw another horrific terrorist attack, and this in Ma’ale Adumim.  And my first thought is with the victims of that attack.  And we continue, will continue – excuse me – to fully support Israel’s right to security, to self-defense, and to dealing with terrorism. On settlements, we’ve seen the reports, and I have to say we’re disappointed in the announcement.  It’s been longstanding U.S. policy under Republican and Democratic administrations alike that new settlements are counterproductive to reaching an enduring peace.  They’re also inconsistent with international law.  Our administration maintains a firm opposition to settlement expansion.  And in our judgement, this only weakens – it doesn’t strengthen – Israel’s security. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) (In progress) a great way of showing what we expect in the relationship, not only with the U.S.  We are willing and eager to support democracy and common values, most particularly freedom, in most countries in the world that are already abide by those comments, and hopefully someday every single country in the world will be doing that.  So, we do have a lot of things in common with the U.S. and with many other liberal democracies.  We hope that it can be sustained, and we can show it to the world. As regards what you mentioned attacking to women, well that is not true – definitely not true.  When people say something wrong, we believe in equal rights and we believe in equal treatment, and that has never happened.  Actually, we have a most comprehensive law and agreement with this.  And if you want to see – even the cabinet in this government, we have a lot of – a lot of women participating.  But it is not an attack on women.  It is on the ideas.  This is very, very, very different. And as regards social justice, I have to comment – I know this is very peculiar to Argentina, because when we talk about social justice, it’s a comment that it hasn’t been ingrained in Argentina whether to help someone, they take away from somebody else.  Whereas to our understanding, social justice should be to give each and every one equal opportunities and the possibilities of keeping whatever they are helping produce, but not taking away from somebody else. And as regards to whether leaders are compatible or not, well, why not?  I mean, everybody supports the same ideas.  It’s good.  And even if they didn’t, we live in a very complicated world; we all need to work to common objectives.  That’s what’s really very important. MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) For Argentina’s press, Miguel Nicolich from the Radio Rivadavia radio station. QUESTION:  (Via interpreter) Thank you.  Mr. Blinken, what does Joe Biden think about other nations going for dollarization of their economies?  Given the possibility of the Argentine Government rescheduling its foreign debt, will it be able to rely on Biden administration support? And Minister Mondino, what’s your view of a visit by a Secretary of State from the U.S. after such a long time? SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you.  First, as I said more generally, we see extraordinary opportunity here in Argentina.  But maybe most important, what’s so evident is that Argentina has what the world actually needs – and we want to be a partner in Argentina helping to feed the world and fuel the world going forward.  And you can see that very powerfully. Now, the work that’s being done to stabilize the economy is absolutely vital.  And as that moves forward and with success – and again, we’d like to do what we can to help in that success – I think that opens the doors to extraordinary opportunity in these areas and many more that the United States will be a part of. When it comes to the question of dollarization, that’s up to Argentina.  And of course, we look forward to hearing any plans and to discussing more, but this is a decision for Argentina to make. And on the IMF – look, we support an agreement between Argentina and the IMF.  The IMF has been, can be, a very important tool promoting the stabilization of Argentina’s economy and the work that is ongoing, the very important work that’s ongoing. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) Well, it is a pleasure for us to host a U.S. Secretary of State, but I should say that our administration took office on the 10th of December, and in February we had the under secretary of Treasury, the deputy secretary of Defense.  We’ll have the under secretary of the energy affairs department and the man responsible for policy planning.  We’ll soon have the chief of the South Command in April.  So, we’ve had visits focusing on trying to understand what the best way is for us to work together, but above all things to find the best way for Argentina to be able to fulfill its true goals. And you asked me another question which I’ve now forgotten. QUESTION:  (Via interpreter) So what’s your assessment of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State after such a long time. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) Well, of course, it’s a highly positive assessment.  We’ve been able to share our plans and ideas.  We’ve also talked a lot about the freedom of currency.  It’s true that here we tend to easily speak about dollarization, but the notion is a lot broader.  It’s about freedom of currency.  This might be somewhat hard to understand from elsewhere, but for those of us living in context of very high inflation, it’s much more relatable. MODERATOR:  And now for the United States a question from Nike Ching from Voice of America. QUESTION:  Good afternoon, Secretary Blinken.  The United States has renewed its support for Ukraine with the largest package of economic sanctions and economic restrictions on Russia, but many analysts say that Biden and the administration sanctions on Russia have failed to change Putin’s behavior.  How do you think the new set of sanctions might have more impact?  Is the U.S. out of options on changing Russia’s behavior through economic penalties?  Is the Biden administration considering designating Russia as a sponsor of terrorism to put more pressure? And separately, if I may, President Milei is flying to Washington later today to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC.  You and President Biden always said that you don’t get involved in other countries’ domestic politics.  How do you assess this development? And for Minister Mondino, thank you for welcoming us to this beautiful country.  A similar question to you.  Can you confirm President Milei will meet with former U.S. President Trump on the sidelines of CPAC?  What is your government’s message to the American people during the campaign year?  Thank you. SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you, I’m happy to start.  With regard to sanctions being imposed on Russia for its aggression against Ukraine, first it’s important to note that it’s, of course, not just the United States.  It’s dozens of countries around the world that have imposed these sanctions, export controls, and other restrictions on Russia because of the aggression – the aggression not only against the Ukrainian people but the aggression against the very principles that are so important to maintaining the international system – territorial integrity, freedom, making sure that countries have the right to decide their own futures.  So, the world has been very clear on this. I believe that already these sanctions, these restrictions, have had a significant impact on Russia both in its ability to prosecute its aggression, but – even more, we see that they’re going to have a growing and long-term impact on Russia.  Its ability to modernize its industries – whether it’s defense industry, aeronautics, energy extraction, all of the technology that’s being denied it as a result of its actions – will have an increasingly heavier and heavier impact.   The fact, of course, that so many people have left Russia – more than a million – including many of the most educated involved in science and technology and production, that’s also going to have a profound impact. So, we see this playing out both in the immediate, but we’re also seeing it playing out over the long term.  I’d just emphasize that the actions that were taken today – the State Department, the Treasury Department, the Commerce Department – these new measures against Russia, in the wake of the death of Aleksey Navalny, the two-year anniversary of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine – and actually a decade of aggression against Ukraine – I think will also have a real impact.  Five hundred individuals and entities, this is the largest number of people or – or entities designated in a single action taken by the United States. We’re also taking action against three individuals specifically in connection with the death of Alexey Navalny: the prison warden, the regional prison head, the deputy director of the Federal Penitentiary Service.  What I heard and saw when so many countries of the world were together, both in Munich recently but also at the G20 in Brazil, was outrage at what Russia had done to Mr. Navalny – as I’ve said, over a decade, persecuting him, poisoning him, imprisoning him, and now his death.  So, I think that will be felt strongly as well. One final thing here.  I think this only underscores the imperative of the House of Representatives passing the supplemental budget request that President Biden has put forward.  This is urgent funding for what Ukraine needs to be able to do to continue to resist, as it’s done so effectively, Russia’s aggression.  Also, this will be a very positive investment in our own defense industrial base, because virtually all of the monies involved for up for Ukraine’s defense will go into production in the United States. With regard to President Milei, look, I can’t speak to his schedule and future meetings.  That’s of course entirely up to him.  All I can speak to is the meeting that we just had, and I can tell you, following on what the foreign minister said, that it was – from my perspective, at least, an incredibly positive, productive, detailed, wide-ranging discussion.  And it only underscored the fact that, for both of our countries, there’s a strong desire and a strong intent to deepen and strengthen our relationship.  And I went through many of the areas where we intend to do that.  So, I could not be more pleased on behalf of President Biden with the meeting we just had, the presence and participation of so many members of the cabinet.  I think it augurs very well for the work that our two countries plan to do together in the months ahead. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) Sorry – same with me.  I don’t know whether there will be any meetings in CPAC.  I can say that since these are commercial flights, there might be delays and any schedules might be disrupted. So, I would like to add something on Ukraine.  It’s not just about territorial integrity, which of course is very important.  And in Argentina we do have our own issues in that regard.  Here we are talking about a case involving children that are not with their parents or families in Ukraine, but rather in Russia right now, and it’s hard to identify them.  So, we need to consider the topics we need to discuss, which often might seem to be only issues of economic interest, and we need to also take into account the other issues that are important for a society to live in peace. MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) Finally, for the Argentine press, Nicolás Gallardo from CNN Radio. QUESTION:  (Via interpreter) Madam Minister, Mr. Secretary, good afternoon.  The question is for Secretary Blinken.  I would like to actually pick up on some issues that have just been referred to.  First, whether the U.S. support in the context of the restructuring of debt to the IMF will translate into imminent disbursements, considering the importance of the United States on the IMF board. And the other point has to do with your trip to Brazil and the relationship with Milei.  Could Argentina become the main partner for the U.S., Biden administration, in the region even more than Brazil, considering particularly the statements made by Brazil’s President Lula on the situation in China or also with regard to Russia or Israel?  Could Argentina replace Brazil in the region, or could the relationship between the U.S. and Argentina be clouded by President Milei’s planned trip to Washington, where he will meet the former president and Republican candidate, Mr. Trump? SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Thank you.  With regard to the first part of the question on the IMF, as I said before, the work with the IMF and the agreements that Argentina has with the IMF we see as very important, and we believe that the IMF can be a vital tool in helping to advance stabilization of Argentina’s economy.  And so, we welcome that work.  I think the IMF has been looking to Argentina to present a significant macroeconomic plan for its future.  Argentina has done so. But we look to that work continuing because it can be a vital source of strength in Argentina’s efforts to stabilize the economy and then to really grow it.  And as I mentioned before, there are so many areas of opportunity where Argentina can play a critical role in the global economy.  It already is, but there is so much more that can be done once stabilization is achieved, and the United States wants to be a partner in that. But speaking of partners, to the second part of your question, we don’t have exclusive partnerships.  We welcome working with any country that wants to join in advancing common objectives, common interests, based often on common values.  And so, the way we see it is this.  We’re living at a time where – I’ve been doing this for almost – more than 30 years now.  And I can’t think of a time in the world where we’ve had such a multiplicity of challenges, a complexity of challenges, and the fact that most of them are interconnected in ways that they weren’t before. That only underscores to me and to our administration the absolute, essential importance of working in partnership, finding new ways to cooperate, to coordinate both with individual partners – and that’s true for Argentina and the United States.  It’s also true for Brazil and the United States – but also in different arrangements of countries, in broader partnerships, in alliances, through the multilateral system, where the United States has re-engaged as well – if we’re actually going to succeed in producing results for our people, which is our responsibility. So, in our own hemisphere, it’s important to us to have the strongest possible relationships, the strongest possible partnerships with leading countries, to include Argentina, to include Brazil. FOREIGN MINISTER MONDINO:  (Via interpreter) If I may add something, I had been spared of questions from you so far.  Brazil is Argentina’s main partner, but it doesn’t matter who the main partner is.  Your mom must have told you this when you were a child.  It doesn’t really matter if you’re the best one.  What matters is for you to be better than yesterday, and even better tomorrow. QUESTION:  (Via interpreter) I asked about Donald Trump.  So, there is no uneasiness in the White House with regard to the fact that the president, President Milei, is flying tonight to perhaps meet with Joe Biden’s rival? SECRETARY BLINKEN:  As you often – my colleagues who travel with me often hear me say, I don’t do politics.  I do policy and foreign policy in this case.  And on that basis, all I can tell you is I couldn’t be more pleased with the meeting with President Milei, with the entire team here, and also more convinced that there is a strong desire on the part of both the Government of Argentina and the Government of the United States to deepen and strengthen the partnership that we have.  Thank you. MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) This concludes the press conference.  We thank the ministers. Joint Statement on the Consultations between European External Action Service Secretary General Sannino and United States Under Secretary Nuland 02/23/2024 Joint Statement on the Consultations between European External Action Service Secretary General Sannino and United States Under Secretary Nuland 02/23/2024 05:02 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the European Union. Begin text: On February 7-8, 2024, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and Secretary General Stefano Sannino held the sixth high-level meeting of the U.S.-EU Dialogue on China and the fifth meeting of the U.S.-EU High-Level Consultations on the Indo-Pacific. Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino discussed U.S. and EU diplomacy with China and the trajectory of their respective bilateral relationships.  They stressed the importance of recent high-level exchanges and keeping open channels of communication with China to manage competition responsibly.  They affirmed the importance of close coordination between the United States and the European Union in advancing shared objectives and common values and interests.  Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino reiterated their openness to continued substantive engagement with China both where there are areas of common interest and on areas of difference. Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino expressed concern about entities supporting Russia’s defense industrial base through sanctions circumvention and provision of dual-use goods which enable Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.  They confirmed transatlantic alignment on pressing China to assume a positive role in ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, including by engaging China to support and contribute to discussions on Ukraine’s Peace Formula – a comprehensive basis for a just and sustainable peace – in line with continued efforts to uphold the international system and international law, including the UN Charter. With a view to enabling sustainable economic relations with China, and strengthening the international trading system, they acknowledged the need to push for a level economic playing field for their workers and companies.  The United States and the EU both seek to address the challenges posed by China’s non-market policies and practices.  Both sides confirmed their intention to continue de-risking by investing in their resilience and reducing critical dependencies and vulnerabilities. Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino also discussed the need for increased global awareness and decisive action to address continued human rights abuses by China.  They noted in particular the cases of unjust and arbitrary detentions in China and called upon China to release these individuals.  They committed to continue working on countering China’s tactics of transnational repression, which targets individuals around the world.  Both sides committed to follow up on issues of concern raised during China’s fourth Universal Periodic Review led by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The United States and European Union affirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and called for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.  They welcomed Taiwan’s vibrant democratic process, including the presidential and legislative elections in January.  They expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.  Both sides reaffirmed there is no change in their basic positions on Taiwan, including stated one China policies. Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino also held the fifth meeting of the High-Level Consultations on the Indo-Pacific.  They discussed ongoing and mutual strong support of a free and open Indo-Pacific which is inclusive, prosperous, secure, based on the rule of law; and protects shared principles including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms and human rights.  They shared their respective assessments on geopolitical trends shaping the situation in the Indo-Pacific.  They called for continued coordination to protect maritime security and uphold navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea, a vital trade waterway with global importance.  They continued discussions on current challenges in the South China Sea, Myanmar, and the DPRK, including the DPRK’s arms transfers to Russia and Russia’s use of DPRK ballistic missiles in Ukraine. They reaffirmed the importance of U.S. and EU combined initiatives on regional connectivity, notably in the framework of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) and the EU’s Global Gateway.  The United States and the European Union share a commitment to building clean energy connectivity across the Indo-Pacific, with an initial focus on Vietnam under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), and on South Asia.  They pledged to explore further coordination on their support for Indo-Pacific partners on port modernization, security and safety, as well as digital connectivity infrastructure and modernization. They highlighted ongoing efforts to advance U.S.-EU cooperation on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific and underlined their intention to continue joint activities in the region.  They also agreed to continue to explore the EU’s planned participation in events organized by INDOPACOM.  They reiterated their shared commitment to continue enhancing maritime domain awareness (MDA) in the Indo-Pacific and highlighted the concrete steps to deepen complementarity between the U.S. SeaVision and EU-funded IORIS systems, now described as a joint paper.  They also committed to expand maritime security cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners on wide ranging areas. They discussed ongoing and increasing engagement in the Indian Ocean Region, including the need to support Small Island Developing States, especially in view of the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) to be held in May 2024. They assessed the continued threat posed by widespread use of foreign information manipulation and interference, and committed to further joint work with Indo-Pacific partners to pursue complementary lines of effort to deepen support of free and resilient media environments. They discussed dedicated joint efforts under the annual U.S.-EU Cyber Dialogue that are supporting Indo-Pacific Partners in implementing cyber capacity-building efforts and developing confidence building measures, including in the context of the ASEAN Regional Forum.  Under Secretary Nuland welcomed EU participation in U.S.-hosted cyber conferences in Sri Lanka and Singapore later this month.  The United States and the European Union remain committed to advance responsible state behavior in cyberspace, including through joint efforts to establish a UN Programme of Action. They noted progress made to support the Pacific Island countries (PICs) and affirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation with likeminded partners to support regional capacity building and infrastructure projects. They reiterated our shared values and commitment to explore ways in the Indo-Pacific region to advance the human rights of all and end the discrimination and violence against persons on the grounds of their gender and sexual orientation. Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino reaffirmed the intent of the U.S. Department of State and the European External Action Service to continue close coordination on China and the Indo-Pacific and to hold the next round of talks in Brussels later this year. End text. Joint Statement on the Consultations between European External Action Service Secretary General Sannino and United States Under Secretary Nuland 02/23/2024 Joint Statement on the Consultations between European External Action Service Secretary General Sannino and United States Under Secretary Nuland 02/23/2024 05:02 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the European Union. Begin text: On February 7-8, 2024, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and Secretary General Stefano Sannino held the sixth high-level meeting of the U.S.-EU Dialogue on China and the fifth meeting of the U.S.-EU High-Level Consultations on the Indo-Pacific. Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino discussed U.S. and EU diplomacy with China and the trajectory of their respective bilateral relationships.  They stressed the importance of recent high-level exchanges and keeping open channels of communication with China to manage competition responsibly.  They affirmed the importance of close coordination between the United States and the European Union in advancing shared objectives and common values and interests.  Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino reiterated their openness to continued substantive engagement with China both where there are areas of common interest and on areas of difference. Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino expressed concern about entities supporting Russia’s defense industrial base through sanctions circumvention and provision of dual-use goods which enable Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.  They confirmed transatlantic alignment on pressing China to assume a positive role in ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, including by engaging China to support and contribute to discussions on Ukraine’s Peace Formula – a comprehensive basis for a just and sustainable peace – in line with continued efforts to uphold the international system and international law, including the UN Charter. With a view to enabling sustainable economic relations with China, and strengthening the international trading system, they acknowledged the need to push for a level economic playing field for their workers and companies.  The United States and the EU both seek to address the challenges posed by China’s non-market policies and practices.  Both sides confirmed their intention to continue de-risking by investing in their resilience and reducing critical dependencies and vulnerabilities. Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino also discussed the need for increased global awareness and decisive action to address continued human rights abuses by China.  They noted in particular the cases of unjust and arbitrary detentions in China and called upon China to release these individuals.  They committed to continue working on countering China’s tactics of transnational repression, which targets individuals around the world.  Both sides committed to follow up on issues of concern raised during China’s fourth Universal Periodic Review led by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The United States and European Union affirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and called for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.  They welcomed Taiwan’s vibrant democratic process, including the presidential and legislative elections in January.  They expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.  Both sides reaffirmed there is no change in their basic positions on Taiwan, including stated one China policies. Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino also held the fifth meeting of the High-Level Consultations on the Indo-Pacific.  They discussed ongoing and mutual strong support of a free and open Indo-Pacific which is inclusive, prosperous, secure, based on the rule of law; and protects shared principles including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms and human rights.  They shared their respective assessments on geopolitical trends shaping the situation in the Indo-Pacific.  They called for continued coordination to protect maritime security and uphold navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea, a vital trade waterway with global importance.  They continued discussions on current challenges in the South China Sea, Myanmar, and the DPRK, including the DPRK’s arms transfers to Russia and Russia’s use of DPRK ballistic missiles in Ukraine. They reaffirmed the importance of U.S. and EU combined initiatives on regional connectivity, notably in the framework of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) and the EU’s Global Gateway.  The United States and the European Union share a commitment to building clean energy connectivity across the Indo-Pacific, with an initial focus on Vietnam under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), and on South Asia.  They pledged to explore further coordination on their support for Indo-Pacific partners on port modernization, security and safety, as well as digital connectivity infrastructure and modernization. They highlighted ongoing efforts to advance U.S.-EU cooperation on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific and underlined their intention to continue joint activities in the region.  They also agreed to continue to explore the EU’s planned participation in events organized by INDOPACOM.  They reiterated their shared commitment to continue enhancing maritime domain awareness (MDA) in the Indo-Pacific and highlighted the concrete steps to deepen complementarity between the U.S. SeaVision and EU-funded IORIS systems, now described as a joint paper.  They also committed to expand maritime security cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners on wide ranging areas. They discussed ongoing and increasing engagement in the Indian Ocean Region, including the need to support Small Island Developing States, especially in view of the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) to be held in May 2024. They assessed the continued threat posed by widespread use of foreign information manipulation and interference, and committed to further joint work with Indo-Pacific partners to pursue complementary lines of effort to deepen support of free and resilient media environments. They discussed dedicated joint efforts under the annual U.S.-EU Cyber Dialogue that are supporting Indo-Pacific Partners in implementing cyber capacity-building efforts and developing confidence building measures, including in the context of the ASEAN Regional Forum.  Under Secretary Nuland welcomed EU participation in U.S.-hosted cyber conferences in Sri Lanka and Singapore later this month.  The United States and the European Union remain committed to advance responsible state behavior in cyberspace, including through joint efforts to establish a UN Programme of Action. They noted progress made to support the Pacific Island countries (PICs) and affirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation with likeminded partners to support regional capacity building and infrastructure projects. They reiterated our shared values and commitment to explore ways in the Indo-Pacific region to advance the human rights of all and end the discrimination and violence against persons on the grounds of their gender and sexual orientation. Under Secretary Nuland and Secretary General Sannino reaffirmed the intent of the U.S. Department of State and the European External Action Service to continue close coordination on China and the Indo-Pacific and to hold the next round of talks in Brussels later this year. End text. Why we are not giving up on Ukraine 02/23/2024 FROM THE DESK OF Secretary Antony J. Blinken U.S. DEPARTMENT of STATE In this war, there is an aggressor and there is a victim. One side is attacking the core principles of the UN Charter; the other fights to defend them.  We will continue to rally countries around the world to support Ukraine’s freedom and independence and to ensure that Russia’s aggression remains a strategic failure. Putin has already failed to achieve his principal objective in Ukraine: erasing it from the map, subsuming it into Russia. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv, Ukraine in September 2023, including a tour of the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service, to underscore unwavering U.S. support for Ukraine's defense of its sovereign territory.  It’s been a hard year on the battlefield, but, once again, Ukrainians have done what no one thought was possible: They stood toe to toe with one of the world’s biggest militaries, they pushed Russia’s navy back in the Black Sea, and opened a corridor to allow them to export their grain and other products to the world.  For two years, Russia has shredded the major tenets of the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international humanitarian law, and flouted one Security Council resolution after another. President Putin is betting that if he keeps doubling down on the violence, that if he’s willing to inflict enough suffering on enough people, the world will cave on its principles and Ukraine will stop defending itself. But Ukrainians are not giving up. They’ve seen what life would look like if they submit to Russian control. It’s families having their children torn away from them and deported to Russia. It’s the rubble of Mariupol. It’s the mass graves of Bucha. We are not giving up either. Indeed, the United States has rallied our allies and partners to support Ukraine in the face of Russia’s full-scale aggression.  The G7 has led the world in galvanizing support, enduring support for Ukraine. With Secretary of Defense Austin’s leadership, more than 50 countries are cooperating to support Ukraine’s defense and build a Ukrainian military strong enough to deter and beat back future attacks. We’ve aligned scores of countries in imposing an unprecedented set of sanctions, export controls, and other economic costs on Russia. On multiple occasions, we’ve marshaled 140 nations at the United Nations – more than two-thirds of all the member states – to affirm Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and condemn Russia’s aggression and atrocities. We’ve rallied donors, philanthropies, humanitarian groups to get lifesaving assistance to millions of displaced Ukrainians. Russia is weaker militarily, economically, diplomatically, while NATO is bigger and stronger and more united than at any point in its nearly 75-year history. Some argue that continuing to stand with Ukraine and holding Russia accountable distracts us from addressing other priorities, like confronting the climate crisis, expanding economic opportunity, strengthening health systems. That is a false choice. We can and we must do both; we are doing both. We’re also seeing something else that’s incredibly powerful – and that is the extraordinary resilience of the Ukrainian people.  Working together, volunteering to rebuild their communities. Getting rid of the ordnance and the mines, recovering the land that was taken from them. The United States is very proud to be a partner with Ukraine in all of these efforts, not just in the military effort, to make sure that Ukrainians have what they need to defend against aggression, but also for rebuilding and recovery. Because of the remarkable bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people and our support, Putin’s war continues to be a strategic failure for Russia. Our goal is to ensure Ukraine not only survives, but thrives, as a vibrant, prosperous democracy, so that Ukrainians can write their own future – and stand on their own. The United States and so many other countries around the world are standing side by side with Ukraine.  Our people, Ukraine’s people, the people of all nations, get to write their own future. We cannot, we will not let one man write that future for us. Slava Ukraini. Sincerely, Secretary Antony J. Blinken   Note to Readers This flagship email – “From the Secretary’s Desk” – features the Secretary’s remarks and speeches on important current events. Sign up to receive this email regularly. This email was adapted from four speeches that Secretary Blinken delivered in 2023. Find all my speeches, remarks, and other press statements on State.gov. You can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads to learn more about my work.  On Consultations with France on the Indo-Pacific 02/23/2024 On Consultations with France on the Indo-Pacific 02/23/2024 06:53 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The United States held Indo-Pacific Consultations with France in Washington, D.C. on February 22, 2024. They shared assessments of political, security, and economic developments in the region. Officials from both countries discussed expanding cooperation on climate resilience, critical infrastructure, maritime security, and other shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific, including challenges with regard to the PRC. Both sides agreed to continue the consultations in Paris in the coming months. Tags Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs France Office of the Spokesperson On Consultations with France on the Indo-Pacific 02/23/2024 On Consultations with France on the Indo-Pacific 02/23/2024 06:53 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The United States held Indo-Pacific Consultations with France in Washington, D.C. on February 22, 2024. They shared assessments of political, security, and economic developments in the region. Officials from both countries discussed expanding cooperation on climate resilience, critical infrastructure, maritime security, and other shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific, including challenges with regard to the PRC. Both sides agreed to continue the consultations in Paris in the coming months. Tags Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs France Office of the Spokesperson Deputy Secretary Verma’s Meetings with the Government of Sri Lanka and Civil Society in Colombo 02/23/2024 Deputy Secretary Verma’s Meetings with the Government of Sri Lanka and Civil Society in Colombo 02/23/2024 07:02 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma met with the President of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Foreign Minister Ali Sabry today in Colombo. Deputy Secretary Verma highlighted U.S. support for Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, including through $270 million in economic support and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation’s $553 million in financing to support the Colombo West International Terminal. They also discussed progress on Sri Lanka’s IMF program, including economic and governance reforms aimed at putting Sri Lanka on the path to sustainable economic growth. They explored opportunities to deepen defense and maritime cooperation between the United States and Sri Lanka, including strengthening the Sri Lanka Navy’s capabilities to safeguard national security and promote a more stable Indo-Pacific region. In his meetings with government officials and members of civil society, Deputy Secretary Verma emphasized the importance of protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, for a more inclusive, prosperous, and democratic Sri Lanka. Tags Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Civil Society Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Office of the Spokesperson Official International Travel Sri Lanka Condemning the Obstruction of Humanitarian Assistance and Closing of Civic Space in Sudan 02/23/2024 Condemning the Obstruction of Humanitarian Assistance and Closing of Civic Space in Sudan 02/23/2024 08:53 PM EST Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson The United States is deeply concerned by the Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) recent decision to prohibit cross border humanitarian assistance from Chad and reports that the SAF is obstructing assistance from reaching communities in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). We are also concerned that the RSF are looting homes, markets, and humanitarian assistance warehouses in areas under their control, and that both sides are harassing humanitarian workers and hindering delivery of lifesaving aid. We call on both the SAF and RSF to immediately allow unhindered humanitarian assistance deliveries to all parts of Sudan. We remind the SAF and RSF of their obligations under international humanitarian law, as well as their commitments in the Jeddah Declaration to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian deliveries to meet the needs of civilians. The United States applauds the courageous efforts of humanitarian actors, including the Emergency Response Rooms and grassroots organizations throughout Sudan responding to the needs of their most vulnerable fellow citizens at great personal cost and risk. In addition, the United States strongly condemns actions by the SAF and RSF, as well as some civilian officials, to constrain civic space, restrict access to internet and mobile phone networks, stoke interethnic conflict, and criminalize groups providing support for communities harmed by conflict. Hate speech, including vilification of individuals who call for stopping the fighting, has surged. We have seen the targeting of Resistance Committees, pro-peace activists, community leaders, humanitarian actors, medical personnel, journalists, and political party members. We unequivocally condemn these acts, as well as pervasive rape, torture, and other reprehensible violations against Sudanese civilians. Sudanese civilians must be free to organize themselves to establish a civilian government that truly represents the Sudanese people. Tags Bureau of African Affairs Humanitarian Aid Office of the Spokesperson Sudan The Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Marea Report Release 02/23/2024 The Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Marea Report Release 02/23/2024 09:04 PM EST Office of the Spokesperson On February 22, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ (OPCW) Investigation and Identification Team (IIT) released a report concluding that there are reasonable grounds to believe that on September 1, 2015, during sustained attacks aimed at capturing the town of Marea, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) deployed sulfur mustard. The report finds that at least 11 individuals encountered liquid substances from projectiles fired by ISIL and experienced symptoms consistent with exposure to sulfur mustard. These findings are in line with the United States’ own assessment of the incident. The United States commends the impartial and independent work of the IIT. Its latest report further illustrates the need for the OPCW to retain the IIT’s unique investigative expertise, which plays a crucial role in upholding the global norm against the use of chemical weapons. The United States encourages the international community to strengthen cooperation in preventing the acquisition of chemical weapons by terrorists and make clear that there will be no impunity for the use of chemical weapons by anyone.... This email was sent to politikimx@gmail.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520