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Updated January 30, 2023
Russia's War on Ukraine: U.S. Policy and the Role of Congress
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a new undeclared
war against Ukraine, a country Russia first invaded in 2014
and has partially occupied for almost nine years. The war is
Europe's largest armed conflict in decades. Ukraine has
successfully waged defensive and counteroffensive
operations bolstered by extensive military assistance,
chiefly from the United States and Europe. Still, Russia
occupies more than 15% of Ukraine's territory and has
intensified its attacks on infrastructure nationwide. The war
to date is estimated to have led to the deaths of tens of
thousands and the forcible displacement of more than 14
million people.
Many observers view the Russia-Ukraine war in the context
of Russian President Vladimir Putin's increasingly
authoritarian rule, rising neo-imperialism and nationalism,
and belief that Ukraine's pro-Western democratic trajectory
could undermine his own regime and model of development
for Russia. The war follows a number of malign Russian
activities abroad, including the 2008 invasion of Georgia,
2014 invasion of Ukraine, 2015 intervention in Syria, 2016
interference in U.S. elections, use of chemical weapons
targeting regime opponents, and the deployment of
mercenaries in conflicts in the Middle East and Africa.
The General Assembly ... reaffirms its commitment
to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial
integrity of Ukraine [and] declares that the unlawful
actions of the Russian Federation ... have no validity
under international law.
U.N. General Assembly Resolution ES-I 1/4, Oct. 12, 2022
The United States, member states of NATO and the
European Union (EU), and other partners regard Russia's
war against Ukraine as unprovoked and unjustified. The
United States, the EU, and the United Kingdom (UK),
among others, have coordinated efforts to impose a series of
increasingly more severe sanctions on Russia. They also
have provided substantial military and economic aid to
Ukraine. To deter further Russian aggression, the United
States and NATO also have increased their military
presence in Central and Eastern Europe. Congress may
consider additional actions and oversight with respect to
these and related issues.
Sanctions on Russia
The United States, the EU, other countries in Europe
(including the UK, Norway, and Switzerland), Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea, among
others, have responded to Russia's war on Ukraine with
sweeping sanctions. These sanctions expand upon and
greatly exceed measures the United States, the EU, and
others previously imposed on Russia in response to
Moscow's 2014 invasion of Ukraine, interference in 2016
U.S. elections, and other malign activities.
U.S. sanctions since February 2022 include restricting the
Russian central bank from drawing on its dollar-
denominated reserves, prohibiting most major Russian
banks from conducting transactions in U.S. dollars or with
U.S. persons, and barring new U.S. investment in Russia.
The United States also has expanded export controls
affecting Russia's access to sensitive or needed U.S.-origin
technologies, banned the import of certain goods from
Russia, and prohibited Russian use of U.S. airspace and
ports. Since February 2022, the United States has imposed
economic sanctions on about 1,900 Russian individuals and
entities and banned entry into the United States for several
thousand Russian officials, military personnel, government-
connected businesspeople, and others.
In addition to actions taken by the executive branch, the
117th Congress suspended normal trade relations with
Russia and its ally Belarus (P.L. 117-110), prohibited the
import to the United States of Russian oil and other energy
products (P.L. 117-109), and established sanctions on
foreign persons who engage in gold transactions with
Russia (P.L. 117-263, §5590).
The United States and the EU have closely cooperated in
imposing sanctions on Russia, and many EU and other
international sanctions are identical or similar to U.S.
sanctions. Although the EU has not imposed sanctions on
Russian natural gas imports, Russia itself has substantially
reduced natural gas flows to Europe and the EU is working
to end its dependency on Russian energy imports.
By some metrics, Russia has weathered new sanctions
better than many anticipated. Although forecasts in the
spring of 2022 suggested Russia's gross domestic product
(GDP) would decline by as much as 15% in 2022, the
International Monetary Fund estimates a more modest
contraction of 2.2%. Russia's oil exports to non-U.S.
destinations, initially largely exempt from sanctions,
supported its economy for much of 2022. However, the EU
ban of seaborne Russian oil and the G7 price cap on
Russian oil, implemented in December 2022, have created
new fiscal pressures for the Russian government.
Sanctions have created other challenges for Russia, and the
economic effects are increasing over time. Russia's
financial sector faces losses of hundreds of billions of
dollars; the Russian military is having difficulties procuring
key components; many Russian factories have suspended
production because they cannot access foreign-origin parts;
and hundreds of international companies have exited the](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/govekkd0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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