A man passing by a house that was severely damaged by the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in the port city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine on April 18, 2022.
Alexander Elmochenko | Reuters
Washington — As the international community seeks new ways to increase economic pressure on the Kremlin Brutal war against UkraineThe idea of classifying Russia as a national supporter of terrorism has recently attracted attention within the Biden administration.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Asked the president of the United States Joe Biden Designating Russia as a national supporter of terrorism during a recent call between two leaders. Biden did not commit to Zelensky’s request, the Washington Post reported, but he did not deny it either.
Since then, both the State Department and White House officials have publicly stated that they have carefully watched the rules regarding the designation of Russia as a national supporter of terrorism by the United States.
However, they also emphasized that certain sanctions caused by terrorist national sponsors, such as arms embargoes, trade restrictions, and suspension of foreign aid, have already been imposed on Russia, and what the terrorist designation really is at this point. I am asking questions about whether I can achieve.
“The sanctions we have implemented and taken are the same as those associated with the designation of a state sponsor of terrorism,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday. Nevertheless, he states: “We will take a closer look at all potential authorities. This is one of them.”
State sponsors of terrorism are one of the most extensive sanctions in the US diplomatic arsenal and are usually prepared for the worst and worst. It is a country that sponsors non-state actors who commit terrorist acts against civilians outside the border.
According to the official law of the State Department, a country must “repeatedly support international terrorist acts” in order to qualify as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Currently, only North Korea, Cuba, Syria and Iran are on the list. Previously, four more countries were listed, but the label was removed after the change of power. Iraq, Libya, South Yemen (now part of Yemen), Sudan.
If Russia is added to the list, the move will take place as part of a broader international campaign to punish the Russian president. Vladimir Putin And his government is due to the brutal war they are waging against Ukraine.
Ironically, however, Russia’s current actions in Ukraine are almost certainly not eligible for state support for terrorism worthy of official designation by the United States.
Alexander Mochil, a professor of political science at Rutgers University and author of 10 books on the history of Russia and Ukraine, said:
“The Kremlin would have clearly applied to Russia in 2014, when the Kremlin assisted separatists in Donbus and they were engaged in violence,” Mochil said in an interview on Tuesday. “But today, the murderers are uniformed Russian soldiers, so they are essentially a nation.”
This does not mean that US diplomats have to look very far to find cases of Russia’s state-sponsored terrorism, he points out, and is widely publicized by Russian dissidents outside Russia. Pointed out the addiction. Moscow has denied any involvement in addiction.
If the United States officially designates Russia as a national supporter of terrorism, Mr. Mochil said, “The main value could be in potential negotiations where the label could be used as a trump card for negotiations.” Said.
The first negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have not reached a serious level and have been completely stalled in the last few weeks. Russia claims that Ukraine has changed its demands, but Ukraine argues that Russia’s participation in the negotiations is only a ploy to buy goodwill in the West while the Kremlin is bombing Ukraine. ing.
Negotiations are almost dead and it is difficult to know what can really be done by adding Russia to the list of state sponsors of terrorism at this point in the conflict.
“Now they are accused of genocide and war crimes, and Putin is accused of being a war criminal. [sponsoring terrorism] There is no big difference. Certainly not for him, “Motyl said.
