February 12, 2018

Beyond sanctions: On Russia policy, Congress should focus on new tools

The Trump administration shocked observers by not imposing new Russia-related sanctions by a January 29 deadline. This decision came on the same day when CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Russia would interfere in the 2018 midterms and a Russian jet unsafely intercepted a U.S. plane in international airspace.

The attention to the sanctions milestone shows Washington's over-emphasis on sanctions in Russia policy. Sanctions are a start, but policymakers in Congress should focus their attention on creating new measures to counter Moscow.

Since its signing into law last summer, the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) has dictated the pace of the major U.S. announcements about Russia policy. To the satisfaction of many legislators, it has become the centerpiece of U.S. policy toward Russia.

Read the full article in The Hill. 

  • Podcast
    • December 23, 2024
    Commerce's Role in Economic Security with Deputy Secretary Don Graves

    Deputy Secretary Don Graves joins Emily to talk about the national security mission of the Department of Commerce and to unveil Commerce’s national security strategy. Read th...

    By Emily Kilcrease & Geoffrey Gertz

  • Commentary
    • Lawfare
    • December 13, 2024
    Our Man in Damascus? Sanctions and Governance in Post-Assad Syria

    The complexity of the legal and policy issues presented by the sanctions thicket surrounding Syria—and the disparate authorities responsible for various parts of it—will requi...

    By Alex Zerden

  • Video
    • December 13, 2024
    Ziemba: Russia & Iran Concentrating on Own Battles

    The rebel-led alliance in Syria is set to form a transitional government, after overthrowing President Bashar Al Assad. Reports say the reason the Assad regime fell so quickly...

    By Rachel Ziemba

  • Commentary
    • December 12, 2024
    Sharper: Tariffs

    The incoming Trump administration has signaled that tariffs will be a central pillar of its economic strategy, with significant implications for international trade, the Ameri...

    By Eleanor Hume, Charles Horn & Gwendolyn Nowaczyk

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia