Five Years After Crimea, What Have We Learned About Russia Sanctions?

Five Years After Crimea, What Have We Learned About Russia Sanctions?
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Minister of Energy Alexander Novak during the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, Dec. 6, 2018 (Photo by Maksim Blinov for Sputnik via AP Images).

Five years after the U.S. first imposed sanctions against Russia for its illegal annexation of Crimea, Moscow continues to defy Western efforts to rein in its behavior. As the Russia sanctions risk becoming a permanent fixture in U.S.-Russia relations, three principal long-term trends are worth further examination.

In March 2014, then-President Barack Obama signed the first tranche of executive orders imposing sanctions against the Russian Federation for its illegal invasion and annexation of Crimea. Five years later, the confrontation between the United States and Russia has come to dominate the national security conversation, driving unprecedented tensions in the trans-Atlantic relationship. It is also likely to feature prominently in foreign policy debates during the 2020 presidential election campaign.

Even before 2020, the topic is certain to attract attention. Congress is already contemplating future Russia sanctions authorities written into pending legislation, especially in light of the seizure of Ukrainian sailors by Russia in the Sea of Azov in November. Ukraine’s upcoming presidential election on March 31 will also bring renewed focus on how to protect Kiev from further aggression. And the fact that Russia continues to defy Western efforts to rein in its behavior means that these sanctions could end up being a permanent fixture in U.S.-Russia relations. In light of all this, three principal long-term trends are worth further examination.

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