This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/28/world/europe/a-white-house-split-over-russia.html
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| A White House Split Over Russia | A White House Split Over Russia |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — As President Obama and his national security team struggle to increase pressure on Russia over its intervention in Ukraine, they have become entangled in a tense debate over how much emphasis to put on unity with European allies more reluctant to take stronger economic actions against Moscow. | WASHINGTON — As President Obama and his national security team struggle to increase pressure on Russia over its intervention in Ukraine, they have become entangled in a tense debate over how much emphasis to put on unity with European allies more reluctant to take stronger economic actions against Moscow. |
| So far, Mr. Obama has opted to stick close to the Europeans to maintain an undivided front, even at the expense of more punishing sanctions and quicker responses to Kremlin provocations. But some inside and outside the administration argue that the United States should act unilaterally if necessary, on the assumption that the Europeans will ultimately follow. | So far, Mr. Obama has opted to stick close to the Europeans to maintain an undivided front, even at the expense of more punishing sanctions and quicker responses to Kremlin provocations. But some inside and outside the administration argue that the United States should act unilaterally if necessary, on the assumption that the Europeans will ultimately follow. |
| The issue came to a head in recent days as American and European leaders tried to coordinate a new round of sanctions after the collapse of a Geneva agreement to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine. Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a blistering public attack on Moscow on Thursday night for not living up to the agreement, but the plan to follow that up with sanctions on Friday fell apart while Washington waited for Europe, postponing action until Monday at the earliest. | The issue came to a head in recent days as American and European leaders tried to coordinate a new round of sanctions after the collapse of a Geneva agreement to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine. Secretary of State John Kerry delivered a blistering public attack on Moscow on Thursday night for not living up to the agreement, but the plan to follow that up with sanctions on Friday fell apart while Washington waited for Europe, postponing action until Monday at the earliest. |
| The deliberations in the West came as pro-Russian forces in Ukraine on Sunday continued to defy international demands to stand down. An antigovernment militia paraded eight detained members of a European military observer mission before cameras, while protesters seized a regional government television station and declared they would use it to air Russian newscasts. | The deliberations in the West came as pro-Russian forces in Ukraine on Sunday continued to defy international demands to stand down. An antigovernment militia paraded eight detained members of a European military observer mission before cameras, while protesters seized a regional government television station and declared they would use it to air Russian newscasts. |
| The display of the captive European observers underscored the challenge for Washington and Brussels in defusing the conflict. The observers, who were seized at a checkpoint on Friday, were led into an auditorium in the eastern city of Slovyansk by masked gunmen. The self-appointed mayor refused to discuss conditions under which they might be released beyond mentioning a prisoner exchange, although one of the observers was later freed for health reasons. | The display of the captive European observers underscored the challenge for Washington and Brussels in defusing the conflict. The observers, who were seized at a checkpoint on Friday, were led into an auditorium in the eastern city of Slovyansk by masked gunmen. The self-appointed mayor refused to discuss conditions under which they might be released beyond mentioning a prisoner exchange, although one of the observers was later freed for health reasons. |
| The sanctions to be announced as early as Monday would single out more people close to President Vladimir V. Putin as well as certain companies. Among them are likely to be Igor Sechin, president of the state-owned Rosneft oil company, and Aleksei Miller, head of the state-owned energy giant Gazprom, American officials said. | |
| The measures will also block certain high-technology exports to the Russian defense industry, officials added, without elaborating. But while some of Mr. Obama’s advisers want him to impose sanctions against whole sectors of the Russian economy, the president has decided against it for now, cognizant of the resistance of European nations that have far more at stake economically, officials said. | The measures will also block certain high-technology exports to the Russian defense industry, officials added, without elaborating. But while some of Mr. Obama’s advisers want him to impose sanctions against whole sectors of the Russian economy, the president has decided against it for now, cognizant of the resistance of European nations that have far more at stake economically, officials said. |
| During internal deliberations, Jacob J. Lew, the secretary of the Treasury, and other officials have argued for caution, maintaining that, while action is needed, more expansive measures without European support might hurt American business interests without having the desired impact on Russia, according to people informed about the discussion. | |
| Mr. Obama has been particularly intent on not getting too far in front of Europe to avoid giving Mr. Putin a chance to drive a wedge in the international coalition that has condemned the Russian annexation of Crimea and destabilizing actions in eastern Ukraine. | |
| “The notion that for us to go forward with sectoral sanctions on our own without the Europeans would be the most effective deterrent to Mr. Putin, I think, is factually wrong,” Mr. Obama told reporters in Asia, where he is traveling. “We’re going to be in a stronger position to deter Mr. Putin when he sees that the world is unified.” He added: “For example, say we’re not going to allow certain arms sales to Russia — just to take an example — but every European defense contractor backfills what we do, then it’s not very effective.” | “The notion that for us to go forward with sectoral sanctions on our own without the Europeans would be the most effective deterrent to Mr. Putin, I think, is factually wrong,” Mr. Obama told reporters in Asia, where he is traveling. “We’re going to be in a stronger position to deter Mr. Putin when he sees that the world is unified.” He added: “For example, say we’re not going to allow certain arms sales to Russia — just to take an example — but every European defense contractor backfills what we do, then it’s not very effective.” |
| Some officials, however, privately argue that the administration has made coordinating with Europe too high a priority and that effectively deferring to the 28-member European Union is a recipe for inaction. The United States, these officials contend, should move ahead with more decisive action on the theory that Europe wants leadership from Washington and historically joins in eventually. | Some officials, however, privately argue that the administration has made coordinating with Europe too high a priority and that effectively deferring to the 28-member European Union is a recipe for inaction. The United States, these officials contend, should move ahead with more decisive action on the theory that Europe wants leadership from Washington and historically joins in eventually. |
| “While imposing sanctions together with the E.U. would be nice, the U.S. simply has to lead and not waste more time trying to present a united approach,” said David J. Kramer, president of Freedom House, an advocacy group, and a former Bush administration official, reflecting views expressed inside the government. “It’s easier for us to do so than it is for the Europeans, and they will follow, as long as we lead.” | “While imposing sanctions together with the E.U. would be nice, the U.S. simply has to lead and not waste more time trying to present a united approach,” said David J. Kramer, president of Freedom House, an advocacy group, and a former Bush administration official, reflecting views expressed inside the government. “It’s easier for us to do so than it is for the Europeans, and they will follow, as long as we lead.” |
| A task force of Russia specialists that includes Mr. Kramer sent the White House a list of possible sanctions targets, including Russian officials and business leaders as well as nine of its most significant companies. | A task force of Russia specialists that includes Mr. Kramer sent the White House a list of possible sanctions targets, including Russian officials and business leaders as well as nine of its most significant companies. |
| Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, the ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, made a similar proposal. “Hitting four of the largest banks there would send shock waves into the economy; hitting Gazprom would certainly send shock waves into the economy,” he said Sunday on “Face the Nation” on CBS. | |
| Antony J. Blinken, Mr. Obama’s deputy national security adviser, was booked late Friday onto Sunday talk shows to defend the president’s approach. Mr. Blinken said existing sanctions were having an impact on the Russian economy. “All of this is creating a dynamic in which what Putin has promised to his people, which is growth and prosperity, cannot be delivered,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” | |
| The administration also signaled that even if Russia backed down in eastern Ukraine, the United States would not lift sanctions as long as it controlled Crimea. “Sanctions imposed because of its actions in Crimea will remain so long as those actions continue,” Tom Malinowski, the assistant secretary of state for human rights, wrote on the department’s blog. | The administration also signaled that even if Russia backed down in eastern Ukraine, the United States would not lift sanctions as long as it controlled Crimea. “Sanctions imposed because of its actions in Crimea will remain so long as those actions continue,” Tom Malinowski, the assistant secretary of state for human rights, wrote on the department’s blog. |
| The fate of the European military observers remained uncertain. The observers, who come from Germany, Denmark, Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic, were brought before reporters, and the group’s leader, Col. Axel Schneider of Germany, was allowed to answer questions, although clearly under duress. | The fate of the European military observers remained uncertain. The observers, who come from Germany, Denmark, Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic, were brought before reporters, and the group’s leader, Col. Axel Schneider of Germany, was allowed to answer questions, although clearly under duress. |
| With erect posture, the colonel referred to himself and his team as “guests” under the “protection” of Vyachislav Ponomaryov, the self-appointed mayor of Slovyansk, and said they had suffered no violence. “We are not prisoners of war,” he said. | With erect posture, the colonel referred to himself and his team as “guests” under the “protection” of Vyachislav Ponomaryov, the self-appointed mayor of Slovyansk, and said they had suffered no violence. “We are not prisoners of war,” he said. |
| Colonel Schneider said the team was held in a basement for a day and then moved on Saturday to better quarters. He flatly rejected any characterization of the group as spies and denied that it carried ammunition and reconnaissance equipment. “The only thing we had was a regular business-type road map, scale one-to-one million,” he said, along with “small-scale cameras.” | |
| While Russia’s representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has called for the team to be freed, Mr. Ponomaryov said he had received no word directly from Moscow. Colonel Schneider made clear they were detainees. “Our presence here in Slovyansk is for sure a political instrument for the decision-makers here in the region, and the possibility to use it for negotiations,” he said. | While Russia’s representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has called for the team to be freed, Mr. Ponomaryov said he had received no word directly from Moscow. Colonel Schneider made clear they were detainees. “Our presence here in Slovyansk is for sure a political instrument for the decision-makers here in the region, and the possibility to use it for negotiations,” he said. |
| In Donetsk, pro-Russian protesters clad in balaclavas and armed with bats demanded that a television channel that they had seized broadcast Rossiya-24, a Russian state channel. “There was a harsh conversation,” Oleg Dzholos, the station’s general director, said outside the captured building. “I would say we were given an ultimatum.” | In Donetsk, pro-Russian protesters clad in balaclavas and armed with bats demanded that a television channel that they had seized broadcast Rossiya-24, a Russian state channel. “There was a harsh conversation,” Oleg Dzholos, the station’s general director, said outside the captured building. “I would say we were given an ultimatum.” |