Global Geo-political Series: US lawmakers agree to new sanctions on Russia; Tillerson differs

United States’ Senate has reached a bipartisan agreement this week that would see new sanctions imposed on Russia and undermines the desire of the Trump administration which has promised to improve the relations between the two countries. The legislative agreement also undermines the ability of the White House to ease, suspend, or end sanctions without congressional approval. The agreement will be fed as an amendment to an Iran sanctions bill, which is intended to punish Russia for meddling in the U.S. election, the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, and its support for the Assad regime in Syria. It would impose new sanctions on Russians found to be guilty of human rights abuses, supplying weapons to Syria's government and conduct cyber-attacks on behalf of Russia's government, among others.  The measure also would allow new sanctions on Russian mining, metals, shipping, and railways. With bi-partisan support, the bill is expected to get passed through the Senate easily. The voting is expected on Thursday.

The measure also ends any hope that the relations, which worsened to the lowest point since the Cold War during the Obama administration could improve substantially under the Trump administration, which remains dogged by Russia collusion till this date. During a budget hearing at the Senate, the US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson expressed his opposition to these new sanctions. According to him, all of America’s allies and partners have been calling on Washington to improve its relations with Russia, “I have yet to have a bilateral, one-on-one, a poolside conversation with a single counterpart in any country: in Europe, Middle East, even South-East Asia, that has not said to me: please, address your relationship with Russia, it has to be improved”. He added that he believes, “worsening this relationship will ultimately worsen their situation.”