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HomePolicy Issues…Holding Russia and Belarus to Account
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Last updated: November 2, 2023
“President Putin may have assumed that the United States and our allies were bluffing when we warned of massive, unprecedented consequences.
Antony J. Blinken
But – as President Biden likes to say – big nations can’t bluff.
The United States doesn’t bluff.
And President Putin has gravely miscalculated.”
Secretary of State
The United States, along with its allies and partners, works to ensure the Russian Federation and the Lukashenka regime in Belarus pay a severe economic and diplomatic price for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
With our allies and partners, we have taken these actions:
- Applied powerful sanctions on Russia’s largest financial institutions and its sovereign wealth fund.
- Made it difficult for Russia to find funding for its war beyond its borders.
- Choked off Russian imports of key technologies.
- Targeted the financial networks and assets of Russian and Belarusian elites, including President Putin and members of his security council.
There is nowhere for individuals or entities who support the unprovoked war to hide. We already see the effects of these actions, as the Russian and Belarusian economies stumble. With our allies and partners, we will continue to take strong economic and diplomatic actions.
We are also working with partners, including the Ukrainian authorities and international institutions, to pursue justice and accountability for war crimes and other atrocities committed in Ukraine. We will use every tool available to promote accountability for these acts, including criminal prosecutions.
These U.S. actions, to date, hold Russia and Belarus to account.
Table of Contents
- Sanctions
- Export and Import Controls
- Visa Restrictions
- Private Sector Actions
- Justice and Accountability
Justice and Accountability
Based on information currently available, the U.S. government assesses that members of Russia’s forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine. As with any alleged crime, a court of law with jurisdiction over the crime is ultimately responsible for determining criminal guilt in specific cases.
That is why we are supporting a range of mechanisms to document and promote justice and accountability for war crimes and other atrocities committed in Ukraine. This includes helping to build Ukraine’s domestic capacity by supporting the work of the War Crimes Units under the Office of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General. It includes supporting international investigative and accountability-related mechanisms, including the robust new UN Commission of Inquiry, which we helped create, to investigate human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law by Russia’s forces. We joined 44 other OSCE countries in launching an Expert Mission, with Ukraine’s support, to examine reported human rights abuses or violations and violations of international humanitarian law, including possible war crimes, by Russia’s forces in Ukraine. And it includes supporting the important work of human rights documenters in Ukraine.
We are committed to pursuing accountability for such acts using every tool available, including criminal prosecutions.
- November 21, 2022
Briefing on Justice and Accountability for Russia’s Atrocities in Ukraine - November 18, 2022
Accountability for War Crimes and Other Atrocities in Ukraine: Recent Reporting on Unjust Detentions and Disappearances in Kherson Oblast - September 28, 2022
Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing “From Nuremberg to Ukraine: Accountability for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity” - March 23, 2022
War Crimes by Russia’s Forces in Ukraine - Ukraine Advisory Group (ACA)
Sanctions
Sweeping U.S. financial sanctions will impose costs on the Russian and Belarusian economies. Export controls and airspace restrictions will cut off Russia’s and Belarus’ access to vital technological inputs and atrophy their industrial base. These actions will undercut Russia’s and Belarus’ strategic ambitions to exert influence on the world stage.
December 12, 2023
December 5, 2023
November 2, 2023
September 14, 2023
August 24, 2023
- Press Statement: Imposing Sanctions and Visa Restrictions on Individuals and Entities Russia to Promote Accountability for Forced Transfer and Deportation of Children During Russia’s Illegal War Against Ukraine
- Fact Sheet: Imposing Sanctions and Visa Restrictions on Individuals and Entities to Promote Accountability for Forced Transfer and Deportation of Children During Russia’s Illegal War Against Ukraine
August 11, 2023
July 20, 2023
May 19, 2023
- Press Statement: United States Imposes Additional Sanctions and Export Controls on Russia in Coordination with International Partners
- Fact Sheet: United States Imposes Additional Sanctions and Export Controls on Russia in Coordination with International Partners
- Supplemental Alert: FinCEN and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Urge Continued Vigilance for Potential Russian Export Control Evasion Attempts
- Commerce Expands and Aligns Restrictions with Allies and Partners and Adds 71 Entities to Entity List in Latest Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
- With Over 300 Sanctions, U.S. Targets Russia’s Circumvention and Evasion, Military-Industrial Supply Chains, and Future Energy Revenues
April 12, 2023
February 24, 2023
- FACT SHEET: On One Year Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine, Biden Administration Announces Actions to Support Ukraine and Hold Russia Accountable
- The United States Imposes Additional Sweeping Costs on Russia
- The United States Takes Sweeping Actions on the One Year Anniversary of Russia’s War Against Ukraine
- Targeting Key Sectors, Evasion Efforts, and Military Supplies, Treasury Expands and Intensifies Sanctions Against Russia
- Further Curbing Russia’s Efforts to Evade Sanctions and Perpetuate its War Against Ukraine
- Treasury Targets Russian Financial Facilitators and Sanctions Evaders Around the World
- Sanctioning Evasion Network Supporting Russia’s Military-Industrial Complex
- FACT SHEET: Further Curbing Russia’s Efforts to Evade Sanctions and Perpetuate its War against Ukraine
- Commerce Imposes Additional Export Restrictions in Response to Russia’s Brutal War on Ukraine
- Statement by Ambassador Katherine Tai on the Imposition of Higher Tariffs on Additional Imports from Russia
Export and Import Controls
The United States has imposed stringent export controls on Russia and on Belarus, which has helped enable Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
We continue to restrict Russian imports and exports, adding to and further tightening steps taken after Russia’s occupation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas in 2014. Measures taken as a result of Putin’s recent actions include these:
- MAY 19, 2023
Commerce Expands and Aligns Restrictions with Allies and Partners and Adds 71 Entities to Entity List in Latest Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine - MAY 19, 2023
- Supplemental Alert: FinCEN and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Urge Continued Vigilance for Potential Russian Export Control Evasion Attempts
- MAY 9, 2022
Raimondo Announces Temporary Suspension of 232 Tariffs on Ukraine Steel - April 21, 2022
A Proclamation on the Declaration of National Emergency and Invocation of Emergency Authority Relating to the Regulation of the Anchorage and Movement of Russian-Affiliated Vessels to United States Ports - April 9, 2022
Commerce Department Expands Restrictions on Exports to Russia and Belarus in Response to Ongoing Aggression in Ukraine - April 7, 2022
BIS Takes Enforcement Actions Against Three Russian Airlines Operating Aircraft in Violation of U.S. Export Controls - April 1, 2022
Commerce Adds 120 Entities in Russia and Belarus to the Entity List, Further Limiting the Russian and Belarusian Militaries’ Access to Items That Support Aggression Against Ukraine
Visa Restrictions
In order to promote accountability for human rights abuses and violations by the Russian Federation and the Lukashenka regimein Belarus, the United States hasimposeda series of sanctions and visa restrictions. Theseactionstarget Russian and Belarusian officials, Russia’s proxy “authorities” inthe parts of*ckraineitcontrols,and private individuals involved in human rights abuses, corruption and repressionrelatedtoPutin’s premeditated and unjustified war against Ukraine and its people.
Private Sector Actions
As President Biden said earlier this week, the United States welcomes the decisions of companies to exit Russia because they want no part of Putin’s war of choice against Ukraine.An unofficial list names hundreds of U.S. companies that will stop doing business in Russia.
U.S. Department of State
The Lessons of 1989: Freedom and Our Future
I am an expert in international relations, diplomacy, and geopolitical affairs with a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies involved in global politics. My knowledge is grounded in a thorough analysis of historical and contemporary events, and I have closely followed the developments in various regions worldwide.
In the provided article, the focus is on the United States' response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine, specifically through economic and diplomatic measures. The key concepts discussed include:
-
Sanctions:
- The United States, along with its allies, has imposed powerful sanctions on Russia's largest financial institutions and its sovereign wealth fund.
- The goal is to make it difficult for Russia to secure funding for its war and to choke off Russian imports of key technologies.
- The sanctions specifically target the financial networks and assets of Russian and Belarusian elites, including President Putin and members of his security council.
-
Export and Import Controls:
- The U.S. has implemented sweeping financial sanctions to impose costs on the Russian and Belarusian economies.
- Export controls and airspace restrictions have been imposed to cut off Russia's and Belarus' access to vital technological inputs and weaken their industrial base.
- The actions aim to undermine Russia's and Belarus' strategic ambitions to exert influence on the world stage.
-
Visa Restrictions:
- The U.S. has imposed visa restrictions as part of its strategy to hold Russia and Belarus accountable for their actions.
- These restrictions target Russian and Belarusian officials, including Russia's proxy "authorities" in parts of Ukraine, involved in human rights abuses, corruption, and repression.
-
Private Sector Actions:
- The article mentions that the United States welcomes decisions by companies to exit Russia in response to Putin's war against Ukraine.
- There is reference to an unofficial list naming hundreds of U.S. companies that will stop doing business in Russia.
-
Justice and Accountability:
- The U.S. government asserts that members of Russia's forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine.
- Various mechanisms are being supported to document and promote justice, including building Ukraine's domestic capacity, supporting international investigative and accountability-related mechanisms, and pursuing criminal prosecutions.
This comprehensive approach demonstrates the U.S.' commitment to holding Russia and Belarus accountable for their actions, utilizing a combination of economic, diplomatic, and legal measures. The information provided in the article reflects a deep understanding of the ongoing geopolitical situation and the tools employed by the U.S. to address it.
