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Brendan Smialowski / AFP / Getty Images
The Trump administration imposed additional sanctions on Russia on Thursday for human rights violations and illegal economic activity in Crimea, just days before President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin surrendered. in Paris for a rally of world leaders.
This initiative is another example of the Trump administration 's willingness to be sometimes harsher towards Russia than suggested by the president' s speech. Trump has repeatedly expressed his admiration for Putin, even as Congress passed a bill last year aimed at punishing Russia for its involvement in the 2016 election and its invasion of Crimea .
History continues below
Russia invaded eastern Ukraine in 2014, bringing de facto the region of warm waters of Crimea under Russian control. The United States and the European Union continue to recognize the peninsula as part of Ukraine.
Thursday's sanctions target three people and nine entities to support economic integration efforts of Crimea in Russia or for violation of human rights. One of these entities is the Ministry of State Security of the Luhansk People's Republic, an unrecognized Ukrainian separatist state under the influence of the Kremlin. The ministry has used intimidation tactics in its prisons, including threats of serious violence and rape, as well as persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses, according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance.
The sanctions also cite Andriy Volodymyrovych Sushko, an agent of the FSB, the KGB secret service heir, for smothering, beating and using electric shocks on a Tatar activist in Crimea. Other entities include companies operating in Crimea and selling assets of the Ukrainian state to individuals sympathetic to Russia.
"The Treasury remains committed to targeting Russia-backed entities seeking to profit from Russia's illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea. Our sanctions are a clear reminder that efforts to normalize investment and economic relations with those operating in Crimea will not be tolerated and are subject to US and European sanctions authorities, "said Sigal Mandelker. Treasury Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. Press release.
The administration has also imposed sanctions on Russia earlier this year for its interference in the 2016 presidential election and for the attempted murder of a former KGB spy in London by poisoning. Moscow has denied any involvement in the poisoning and electoral interference of 2016.
Trump and Putin both agreed to attend the commemorative ceremonies in Paris this weekend for the anniversary of the end of the First World War, and observers are wondering if it is safe to say. will not act from another buddy – buddy moment similar to their Helsinki summit this summer. During the meeting in Finland, Trump appeared to rid Putin of any responsibility for his interference in the 2016 elections, keeping only to his words – despite information from his own intelligence community that Russia played an active role in the elections.
It's unclear whether Trump and Putin will gain time for another face-to-face match in Paris, but it will be hard for both of them to miss each other at the world leaders' rally. The Kremlin announced this week that the two men would have a working lunch, but Trump said at a press conference on Wednesday that the two would only meet later in the month at the next G20 summit in Argentina .
Kremlin Mayor Yuri Ushakov told reporters in Moscow that the French government hoped that the two world leaders would not separate from the rest of the group so as not to overshadow the commemorative events, the New York Times reported.
