Blinken allowed recognition of the Russian Federation as a sponsor of terrorism for the first time: “Never say never”

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken admitted for the first time that Russia can be recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism.

As “European Truth” reports, he said this at the hearings in the US Senate committee devoted to China.

Blinken’s statement came during a debate with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who insisted on the need to declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism.

“We all want China to stop helping Russia, right? I have an idea. 100 US senators have proposed that we declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism to deter countries like China from giving them weapons,” Graham recalled.

“Months passed and nothing happened. Secretary of State, I like you a lot, but you would never declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, would you?” he asked.

To this, the head of American diplomacy answered briefly: “Never say never.”

Later, in a discussion with Senator Blinken, he noted that, in his opinion, the already implemented sanctions and powers that the US has were able to deter Beijing from military aid to Moscow.

Recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism would lead to Moscow’s international isolation and force the US to impose additional restrictions on countries that interact with the Kremlin. It is the State Department that has the authority to determine such status.

The Biden administration before rejected the demands recognize the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism, saying that this would tie the US’s hands in dealing with Russia in general and block any diplomatic efforts aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.