The Trump administration on Thursday took a step toward implementing new congressional sanctions against Russia, nearly a month after it was mandated to do so under federal law.
State Department officials provided Congress a list of Russian defense and intelligence industry entities that western companies should avoid working with, pursuant to a legislation passed in August and signed by President Trump.
Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan briefed Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker on the update Thursday afternoon, following criticism from lawmakers who noted the State Department had missed an Oct. 1 implementation deadline.
“It took a little bit of time,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters Thursday during the press briefing. “The secretary himself said that these are complex matters and we want to get it right.”
