Will Congress Kill Ukraine?
Nearly a week after the death of Alexei Navalny and almost two years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the White House appears adamant in its efforts to strangle the Russian economy financially.
President Joe Biden recently announced the implementation of more than 500 new sanctions set to hold Russia accountable both for the death of Navalny and Russia’s persistent presence on Ukrainian soil.
The new sanctions target individuals connected to the Navalny conspiracy, Russia’s manufacturing industry, prominent businesses, central banks, and 26 entities outside Russia, including China, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and Liechtenstein.
A subsequent wave of sanctions aims to intensify the hardship inflicted by the initial round, swiftly implemented at the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, the new restrictions raise questions regarding the efficiency of American aid in this conflict.
While the initial rounds of sanctions served their purpose as an additional obstacle for Russia to face in this war, it is unclear whether this adversity is more than a mere nuisance to the state.
The Russian economy has slowed and taken blows from the ambush of sanctions. However, it has just as readily adapted and found loopholes, showing better-than-anticipated growth associated with a productive war-time economy.
While the new rounds of sanctions promise to pester Russian oligarchs, they are not damaging enough.
Despite Biden’s enthusiasm behind the new sanctions, it is no secret that his administration is frustrated with the lagging legislature barring any further action.
Ukraine suffers from ammunition shortages and dependency on promised American aid, which lingers unsteadily in the House.
Biden has declared his administration’s support for a bipartisan national security supplemental bill. If passed, this $95.34 billion bill would grant Ukraine $60.06 billion of aid.
Despite the support of both Biden and Ukraine, this bill struggled to pass through the Senate. The bill finally made it to the house, full of comprises and amendments, to be further torn apart in that chamber. However, the future of the bill is murky. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has not yet put forward a plan for passing it in the House and does not appear optimistic about the bill’s ability to progress in its current state.
America has proudly added to its list of sanctions implemented against Russia. However, these restrictions appear now as a last-resort effort to signify support for Ukraine, a state more threatened than ever by the pace of a divided, inefficient American government.