Russia says it will end cooperation with other countries on the International Space Station until the sanctions put on the country are lifted. Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, announced in a thread on Twitter that the’- complete and unconditional lifting of illegal sanctions’.

Rogozin says he appealed the sanctions in letters to NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian space agency. Rogozin also posted images of what appears to be each country’s response the verge also reached out to NASA and the ESA but did n’t immediately hear back.

The letter signed by NASA administrator Bill Nelson reads’new and existing U.S. export control measures continue to allow cooperation between the U.S. and Russia’.

Esa head Josef aschbacher says he’ll pass on Rogozin’s request to the agency’s member states for assessment.

The purpose of the sanctions is to kill the Russian economy, says Rogozin. Roscosmos will soon determine a date on when to halt Russia’s involvement with the ISS.

Rogozin reacted strongly to the sanctions imposed by President Joe Biden in February. Rogozin expressed insinuation that the space station could come crashing down to earth without Russia’s involvement. Nasa relies on Russia to maintain the ISS’s position and orientation in space.

Earlier this week, NASA astronaut Mark vande HEI safely returned to earth aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket with two cosmonauts. Prior to his arrival, there had been concerns about his return home amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Roscosmos maintained that it would not strand vande HEI on the ISS.