Senators press for more sanctions on Russia
WASHINGTON -- Democratic and Republican senators exasperated with the Obama administration's response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine threatened on Wednesday to act unilaterally on new sanctions.
"What are we waiting for?" Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asked twice at a hearing with senior administration officials from State, Treasury and the Defense departments about targeted sanctions that the administration said it was preparing last month.
Lawmakers ticked off a list of examples of Russia's pattern of escalating the nearly three month crisis and then pulling back, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the U.S. and European allies look foolish. More than 400 people have died and thousands have fled their homes in Ukraine as fighting continues between government forces and pro-Russia separatists.
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Victoria Nuland, the assistant secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, defended the administration's policies, saying the United States is ready to impose new sanctions "very soon." She stressed that it would be more effective for the United States to work together with Europe on such steps and the U.S. continues to consult with its allies. However, she said Obama has made clear that if necessary, the U.S. would act alone.
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FULL article CBS News - here.
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COMMENT
There are sanctions in place.
Sanctions have even been crippling French bank, BNP Paribas (so they're far reaching & punative), with fines into the billions.
It has been said that the unprecedented fines are the result of US seeking to punish France for the recent Mistral deal to Russia.
The Ukraine deaths are the result of Ukraine fraternal or civil war & the US-backed Ukraine government holds the 'big guns' (air attacks etc).
Russia has not set foot in the Ukraine, as far as poster is aware.
Assume the:
"if necessary, the U.S. would act alone",conveyed by Nuland, would indicate the US will impose further sanctions (rather than military action) on Russia with or without EU support.
There's the beauty of wider alliances (and extra-national organisations such as EU)...there's always a swap of 'good cop' and 'bad cop' roles that's advantageous in dealings.
Poster is guessing the urgency is the coming winter in Europe.
Russia's Europe's supplier of gas.
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