The bipartisan leadership of the US Senate has urged the Donald Trump administration to speed up the implementation of the new sanctions law against Russia. The request was made by Senators Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, and Roger Wicker, a Republican, in a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Besant and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
According to the Associated Press, the senators have identified the most urgent task of disrupting the activities of the Russian "shadow fleet" of several hundred tankers. They say the ships are transporting Russian oil and circumventing U.S. sanctions, providing financial resources for the war in Ukraine.
“Every day without maximum economic pressure allows Moscow to sustain this military escalation“, Shaheen and Wicker write.The letter also calls for disrupting the international financial networks through which Russia circumvents restrictions. The senators point to bank branches abroad, including in Shanghai, as well as a growing network of financial institutions in Kyrgyzstan, which they say are used to transfer capital subject to sanctions. They say foreign banks should choose between doing business with the United States and financing Russia's war.
The deadline for implementation expires on October 18
The main part of the law, signed by Trump nearly a month before the senators' call, is set to take effect on October 18. That's when the administration's 30-day review period ends. The Associated Press reports that no public steps have been announced this month to implement the law.
The law prohibits new U.S. investments in Russia and transactions in Russian government debt. Shaheen and Wicker are urging the Treasury Department to issue clear regulatory guidance before the deadline so that U.S. financial institutions can stop these capital flows.
The senators also want to limit the supply of dual-use electronics and technologies that could be used by Russian forces on the front lines. They urge the administration to use existing sanctions tools against companies and organizations that support the Russian military-industrial complex.
Pressure also against the Russian satellite system
The letter also calls for action against Russia's developing satellite system in low-Earth orbit. Ukraine has warned that it could become a serious threat in the winter if it is used to support Russian strikes in real time.
The bill was passed with bipartisan support in Congress and is linked to the late Senator Lindsey Graham. Washington has not yet announced a specific timetable for all the measures the senators are pushing for.
Sources: pravda.com.ua, apnews.com