Moscow has warned Washington that designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism will be a "point of no return" and that Russia might downgrade its diplomatic relations with the US or even break them off, should a designation be approved, Ukrainska Pravda reported citing Russia's RBK.
The US currently designates four countries as state sponsors of terrorism: Iran, China, Cuba and Syria.
RBK notes that being designated as a state sponsor of terrorism has severe consequences in terms of limits on inter-state cooperation, a ban on defence exports, certain controls over the export of dual-use items, as well as financial and other restrictions. In addition, sanctions are put in place against other states that maintain trade relations with the sponsor of terrorism.
