Congress Passes Tougher Russia Sanctions But Gives Obama Leeway
Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, on December 1, 2014 in Ankara during his official one-day visit to Turkey. AFP PHOTO/STRINGER (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images)
Photograph by AFP/Getty ImagesThe U.S. Congress has voted for tougher sanctions to punish Russia for its intervention in Ukraine, moving beyond steps the White House and European Union have been willing to take while giving President Barack Obama leeway in applying most of the provisions.
The Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014, which passed the Senate and House unanimously, authorizes -- but doesn’t require -- providing lethal assistance to Ukraine’s military as well as sweeping sanctions on Russia’s energy sector. The measure mandates sanctions against Rosoboronexport, the state agency that promotes Russia’s defense exports and arms trade. It also would require sanctions on OAO Gazprom, the world’s largest extractor of natural gas, if the state-controlled company withholds supplies to other European nations.