Pence: Trump to sign Russia sanctions law soon
VP calls on Kremlin to end its support of ‘rogue regimes’
President Donald Trump will “very soon” sign a law limiting his ability to lift sanctions against Russia, even though he has “concerns” about the measure, Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday.
The announcement during a visit to Tbilisi, Georgia, comes as no surprise, because the Trump administration had signaled it would not stand in the law’s way. But it nonetheless carries significance: It is the first time that Congress, with both houses controlled by Trump’s fellow Republicans, has imposed its will on the administration on a major policy matter, and the legislation has helped bring relations between Russia and the United States to one of its lowest points since the Cold War.
Revised for energy firms
At least in terms of diplomatic policy, the bet Russia might have made when, according to U.S. intelligence agencies, it interfered in last year’s presidential election in the U.S., has backfired in spectacular fashion. The legislation was revised, however, to address concerns by U.S. oil and natural gas companies that do business with Russia’s energy sector.
Though he was asked by a reporter about the election interference, Pence did not explicitly address it, reiterating instead the administration’s concerns about Russia’s “destabilizing activities,” including “efforts to support rogue regimes.”
In a brief visit to the Georgian capital, Pence delivered a message of reassurance to Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. Russia and Georgia, both former republics of the Soviet Union, fought a brief war in August 2008; since then, Russia has continued to occupy the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in violation of international law.
“In a sign of our commitment, very soon, President Trump will sign legislation to strengthen and codify the United States’ sanctions against Russia,” Pence said. “As always, our country prefers a constructive relationship with Russia based on cooperation and common interests.”
‘Unified in our message’
But, Pence said, the current state of the relationship between the U.S. and Russia demanded a different approach.
“The president and our Congress are unified in our message to Russia,” he said. “A better relationship, the lifting of sanctions will require Russia to reverse the actions that caused sanctions to be imposed in the first place.”
On Sunday, in retaliation for the sanctions legislation sent to Trump’s desk, President Vladimir Putin of Russia ordered the dismissal of 755 employees from the U.S. diplomatic missions in the country.
Most of the employees will be local Russians working in the embassy in Moscow and consulates in three other cities, but diplomats are bracing for what a former ambassador has called “a shock to the system.”