Obama Signs Russia Sanctions Bill Into Law
President Barack Obama signed into law the latest round of legislative authorizations for sanctions against Russia on Dec. 18. The measure, HR-5859 (here), gives guidelines for the Obama administration to put more restrictions on U.S. trade with Russian officials and companies in the defense, energy and banking sectors. The law does not authorize sanctions on imports into the U.S. market.
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The administration will now have to impose a set of sanctions on the Russian state weapons dealer Rosoboronexport within 30 days of signing the law, which also authorizes administration action on other individuals or entities that meet the sanction criteria. Russian entities that sell and transfer weapons to Syria, as well as many Eastern European and Central Asian countries, will be subject to sanctions. Sanctions now at the administration’s disposal include bans on Export-Import Bank assistance, U.S. government procurement, arms and dual-use exports, property transactions, banking transactions, investment restrictions.
The U.S. is allowed to continue its procurement dealings with contracted defense companies, even if those companies are part of additional sanctions packages, so long as the contracts are determined to be in U.S. national security interest, as well as all contracts finalized before a company is sanctioned.
But the administration is not targeting any additional Russian sanctions right now, said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest before Obama signed the law. "At this time, the administration does not intend to impose sanctions under this law, but the act gives the administration additional authorities that could be utilized if circumstances warrant it," said Earnest. "This administration will continue to work closely with allies and partners in Europe and internationally to respond to developments in Ukraine, and we’ll continue to review and calibrate our sanctions to respond to Russia’s actions."
The new law also urges Obama to demand Russia bring its military activities into compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and the measure forces the administration to periodically report to Congress on those efforts. U.S. officials accuse Russia of testing a particular ground-launched cruise missile, but Russia won’t acknowledge the violation, said two senior administration officials in testimony before Congress on Dec. 10 (see 1412110013).