The notification of the American president states that such a measure is connected with the military operation in UkraineWASHINGTON, April 18.
/tass/. US President Joe Biden has decided to extend for one year the ban on the reception in American ports of ships that sail under the flag of Russia or are otherwise associated with the Russian Federation. This is stated in the notification of the American leader distributed by the White House on Tuesday.
The document notes that the ban was introduced on April 21, 2022. "The policy and actions of the Government of the Russian Federation" on conducting a special military operation in Ukraine "continue to constitute an emergency situation due to the violation or threat of violation of international relations of the United States," the text states. "Therefore, <...> I am extending for one year the state of emergency in relation to the Russian Federation and emergency powers concerning the regulation of the stay and movement of vessels associated with Russia in the ports of the United States," Biden informed.
In April last year, he announced that the United States prohibits "the reception of Russian-linked vessels in [American] ports, as was done in Europe." Biden explained that "no vessel flying the flag of Russia, owned or operated by a person from Russia, will be allowed to dock in the [ports] of the United States." The relevant presidential decree specified which vessels in this case are considered to be associated with the Russian Federation: they fly the Russian flag, their owner is "the government of the Russian Federation or a Russian company, citizen or permanent resident" of the Russian Federation, as well as those vessels that are operated by Russia, that is, when "a Russian company, citizen or permanent resident responsible for making commercial decisions regarding the use of the vessel."
The decree also provides for exceptions: the ban does not apply in a situation where a ship associated with Russia transports "raw materials, special nuclear materials and by-products", of which there is no other reliable source of supply in the United States. In addition, Russian-related vessels are allowed to enter American ports in case of emergency, when crew members need to disembark, including for medical reasons or "other humanitarian reasons."
