What to expect from entente between Moscow, Ankara in Libya
As Moscow intensifies its involvement in the Libyan conflict, the US State Department is stepping up pressure against Russian destabilization.
The United States is stepping up pressure on Russia amid Moscow’s intensified involvement in the Libyan conflict and its growing role in propping up Khalifa Hifter, the rebellious field marshal who commands the self-styled Libya National Army. In particular, the State Department commended the Maltese government’s May 26 announcement of its seizure of $1.1 billion in counterfeit Libyan currency printed by Russia’s Goznak and ordered by a central bank from eastern Libya affiliated with Hifter. Washington believes that this incident once again highlights Russia’s destabilizing role in Libya and the importance of countering the Kremlin.
Goznak replied that the Libya Panel of Experts under the UN Security Council did not regard the shipment of such banknotes from Russia as a breach of the sanctions regime.
