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| New Russia Sanctions Bill Will Be Signed by Obama, White House Says | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — President Obama has decided to sign legislation imposing further sanctions on Russia and authorizing additional aid to Ukraine, despite concerns that it will complicate his efforts to maintain a unified front with European allies, the White House said on Tuesday. | WASHINGTON — President Obama has decided to sign legislation imposing further sanctions on Russia and authorizing additional aid to Ukraine, despite concerns that it will complicate his efforts to maintain a unified front with European allies, the White House said on Tuesday. |
| The legislation calls for a raft of new measures penalizing Russia’s military and energy sectors and authorizes $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including antitank weapons, tactical surveillance drones and counter-artillery radar. The bill was approved unanimously by Congress, but Mr. Obama hedged for days on whether he would sign it. | The legislation calls for a raft of new measures penalizing Russia’s military and energy sectors and authorizes $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including antitank weapons, tactical surveillance drones and counter-artillery radar. The bill was approved unanimously by Congress, but Mr. Obama hedged for days on whether he would sign it. |
| Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, announced the decision to approve the bill even as he described the president’s qualms over it. Mr. Earnest said it sent a “confusing message” internationally, including language “that does not reflect the consultations” with European powers. But in the end, he added, the president opted to allow the bill to become law because it does contain some flexibility that will give him room to maneuver. | |
| The new sanctions come even as Russia’s economy is reeling from the collapse of the ruble, the increasing flight of capital investment and the specter of recession. Previous rounds of sanctions imposed by Mr. Obama and the European Union in response to Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine have contributed to a broader economic and political instability that has been exacerbated in recent days by the plunge in the price of oil, on which Russia is deeply dependent. | The new sanctions come even as Russia’s economy is reeling from the collapse of the ruble, the increasing flight of capital investment and the specter of recession. Previous rounds of sanctions imposed by Mr. Obama and the European Union in response to Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine have contributed to a broader economic and political instability that has been exacerbated in recent days by the plunge in the price of oil, on which Russia is deeply dependent. |
| Mr. Earnest said the turmoil was owing in significant part to President Vladimir V. Putin’s own actions. “It’s a sign of the failure of Vladimir Putin’s strategy to try to buck up his country,” Mr. Earnest said. “Right now, he and his country are isolated from the broader international community.” | Mr. Earnest said the turmoil was owing in significant part to President Vladimir V. Putin’s own actions. “It’s a sign of the failure of Vladimir Putin’s strategy to try to buck up his country,” Mr. Earnest said. “Right now, he and his country are isolated from the broader international community.” |
| Russian officials have lashed out in recent days at the prospect of new sanctions. “Russia will not only survive but will come out much stronger,” Sergey V. Lavrov, the foreign minister, told France 24. “We have been in much worse situations in our history, and every time we have got out of our fix much stronger.” | Russian officials have lashed out in recent days at the prospect of new sanctions. “Russia will not only survive but will come out much stronger,” Sergey V. Lavrov, the foreign minister, told France 24. “We have been in much worse situations in our history, and every time we have got out of our fix much stronger.” |
| He said there were “very serious reasons to believe” that the United States was pursuing a regime change strategy to topple Mr. Putin’s government, and he denigrated American lawmakers. “If you look at U.S. Congress, 80 percent of them have never left the U.S.A., so I’m not surprised about Russophobia in Congress,” Mr. Lavrov said. | He said there were “very serious reasons to believe” that the United States was pursuing a regime change strategy to topple Mr. Putin’s government, and he denigrated American lawmakers. “If you look at U.S. Congress, 80 percent of them have never left the U.S.A., so I’m not surprised about Russophobia in Congress,” Mr. Lavrov said. |
| Mr. Obama has already authorized multiple rounds of sanctions that have largely cut off major Russian banks from American credit markets, blocked the transfer of technology for long-term energy exploration and frozen assets and barred travel to the United States for a number of Mr. Putin’s allies. Mr. Obama has made it a top priority to coordinate those measures with European allies, which have been more reluctant to escalate the confrontation with Russia because of closer economic ties. | Mr. Obama has already authorized multiple rounds of sanctions that have largely cut off major Russian banks from American credit markets, blocked the transfer of technology for long-term energy exploration and frozen assets and barred travel to the United States for a number of Mr. Putin’s allies. Mr. Obama has made it a top priority to coordinate those measures with European allies, which have been more reluctant to escalate the confrontation with Russia because of closer economic ties. |
| The White House has been concerned that the new legislation would go beyond what the Europeans are willing to do and would contradict his own policy preferences for how to handle the showdown with Moscow. Mr. Obama has opposed sending weaponry to Ukraine on the grounds that it would only exacerbate the conflict against pro-Russian forces in its eastern regions. | The White House has been concerned that the new legislation would go beyond what the Europeans are willing to do and would contradict his own policy preferences for how to handle the showdown with Moscow. Mr. Obama has opposed sending weaponry to Ukraine on the grounds that it would only exacerbate the conflict against pro-Russian forces in its eastern regions. |
| The legislation authorizes the provision of lethal arms but would not require it. Likewise, it requires the president to impose at least three sanctions from a menu of nine options on Rosoboronexport, the main Russian state arms exporter, and other military companies blamed for fostering instability in Ukraine, as well as in Moldova, Georgia and Syria. But it includes a provision that allows the president to waive the requirement if he concludes that doing so would be in the nation’s security interest. | The legislation authorizes the provision of lethal arms but would not require it. Likewise, it requires the president to impose at least three sanctions from a menu of nine options on Rosoboronexport, the main Russian state arms exporter, and other military companies blamed for fostering instability in Ukraine, as well as in Moldova, Georgia and Syria. But it includes a provision that allows the president to waive the requirement if he concludes that doing so would be in the nation’s security interest. |
| The legislation also authorizes, without requiring, the president to impose sanctions on international companies that invest in certain types of unconventional Russian crude oil energy projects and to further restrict the export of equipment for use in Russia’s energy sector. And it authorizes the president to bar investment or credit to Gazprom, the Russian state energy giant. | The legislation also authorizes, without requiring, the president to impose sanctions on international companies that invest in certain types of unconventional Russian crude oil energy projects and to further restrict the export of equipment for use in Russia’s energy sector. And it authorizes the president to bar investment or credit to Gazprom, the Russian state energy giant. |
| The measure went beyond penalties to authorize $10 million for each of the next three fiscal years to counter Russian propaganda in the former Soviet Union and prioritize Russian-language broadcasting in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. And it authorized $20 million in each of the next three years to promote democracy, independent media, uncensored Internet access and anti-corruption efforts in Russia. | The measure went beyond penalties to authorize $10 million for each of the next three fiscal years to counter Russian propaganda in the former Soviet Union and prioritize Russian-language broadcasting in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. And it authorized $20 million in each of the next three years to promote democracy, independent media, uncensored Internet access and anti-corruption efforts in Russia. |
| The bill was initially sponsored by Senators Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, who is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, who is the ranking Republican on the committee. It passed both houses without a no vote, clearing its last hurdle on Saturday. | The bill was initially sponsored by Senators Robert Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, who is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, who is the ranking Republican on the committee. It passed both houses without a no vote, clearing its last hurdle on Saturday. |
| The House speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, pressed Mr. Obama to approve the measure. “On behalf of the people’s House, I urge President Obama to sign this bipartisan legislation,” he said in a statement before the White House announcement. | The House speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, pressed Mr. Obama to approve the measure. “On behalf of the people’s House, I urge President Obama to sign this bipartisan legislation,” he said in a statement before the White House announcement. |
| Mr. Obama decided to do so after aides studying the measure concluded that it contained enough room for him to maneuver. | Mr. Obama decided to do so after aides studying the measure concluded that it contained enough room for him to maneuver. |
| “The president does intend to sign the piece of legislation that was passed by Congress,” Mr. Earnest said. “But we do have some concerns about that legislation, because while it preserves flexibility, it does send a confusing message to our allies because it includes some sanctions language that does not reflect the consultations that are ongoing.” | “The president does intend to sign the piece of legislation that was passed by Congress,” Mr. Earnest said. “But we do have some concerns about that legislation, because while it preserves flexibility, it does send a confusing message to our allies because it includes some sanctions language that does not reflect the consultations that are ongoing.” |