Blinken: US Wants To Avoid 'Unintended Consequences,' But 'Get to the Same Place' As Declaring Russia Terror Sponsor
US already has "leveled unprecedented sanctions against Russia," secretary of state adds
The Biden administration wants to work with Congress to “avoid some unintended consequences,” but wants to work with Congress to “get to the same place” as officially declaring Russia a state sponsor of terrorism for its brutal and unlawful invasion of Ukraine, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Blinken acknowledged that many, both here and abroad — including the government of Ukraine itself — wants the Biden administration to use its authority to sanction Russia as a designated state sponsor of terrorism in response to the atrocities which Russian forces have perpetrated in their nearly year-long incursion into neighboring, democratic Ukraine.
Blinken spoke Sunday in an on-camera TV interview with CNN host Jake Tapper.
“Let’s start with Ukraine, because it’s clear that Russia is openly terrorizing the Ukrainian people with attacks, not just on civilians, but on civilian infrastructure. There are many in Congress, including Speaker Pelosi, who have called on the Biden administration to label Russia a state sponsor of terrorism,” Tapper began. “Now, I know the White House says that such a move could have unintended consequences, such as delaying food exports, but, frankly, the government of Ukraine isn’t buying that explanation. They say that you could avoid that with carve-outs for food and goods. Why haven’t you labeled Russia a state sponsor of terrorism?”
The US government, designated through the secretary of state, has the authority to sanction foreign nations as official “state sponsors of terrorism.”
“Jake, let’s look at what’s happening first. Putin tried to erase Ukraine from the map, erase its identity, subsume it back into Russia. That failed. Then he engaged in a land grab in Eastern Ukraine and Southern Ukraine. That’s been failing because the Ukrainian military has been pushing back and taking back a lot of the territory that Putin gained,” Blinken replied. “Now, to your point, what he’s doing is trying to weaponize winter, turn out the lights, turn off the heat, put the Ukrainian people into darkness and cold just as they head into the winter months. This is indeed barbaric. We’re pushing back very strongly in our support for Ukraine, making sure that they’re getting the missile defenses they need, working on getting them the different pieces for their energy infrastructure that they need, as Putin tries to destroy it.
“As to sanctions, we have leveled unprecedented sanctions against Russia, unprecedented export controls, all of that in coordination with dozens of countries. I just got back from meetings in NATO. The solidarity among the NATO partners, the G7 partners is very strong and resolute,” Blinken added. “So, we’re constantly looking at different measures that we can take to, as necessary, increase the pressure. We’re working with Congress right now on legislation that would help us get around some of the challenges of using the state sponsor of terrorism designation, which, as you said, has some unintended consequences. We’re finding — working with Congress on a way forward to get to the same place.”
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