Pelosi to Blinken: Label Russia as terrorist state, or else Congress will

Blinken: Designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism — otherwise, Congress will.

The warning, made on a call between the two earlier this week, was described to POLITICO by two sources familiar with the conversation. Spokespersons for the State Department and Pelosi’s office declined to comment.

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Some experts, though, say the move would ratchet up the pressure on the Kremlin and make all dealings with Russia for U.S. persons near impossible. “Labeling Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism would be significant because it’s a blanket measure,” said Edward Fishman, an expert on sanctions at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington, D.C. “It injects a risk into all dealings with Russia.”

That said, he noted Congress hasn’t yet made a major move to punish Russia five months into the war. For secondary sanctions and beyond, “having a congressional mandate makes those sanctions far more effective,” Fishman said.

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