The truth matters: the Yermak-Macfola group explains all the subtleties of Russia's recognition by the state-sponsor of terrorism
The experts of the working group have predicted risks and offered potential strategies for softening many of them. The document provides factual data confirming the compliance of the actions of the Russian Federation with the definition of "terrorism". In practice, Russia's crimes in Ukraine are actually greater than the "sponsoring of terrorism", since the main executor of these terrorist acts is Russian armed forces, a key institution of the Russian state.
The species, scale and purpose of the deliberate, politically motivated violence that Russia applies against Ukrainian non -combatants. The US State Department must recognize the Russian Federation as a sponsor of terrorism. The Government of Canada should take a similar step. Experts describe in detail the main consequences: restrictions on transactions, loss of sovereign immunity, secondary sanctions, individual sanctions, symbolic influence.
This recognition will increase the pressure in order to include Russia in the black list of a group of money laundering (FATF). Recognition will also limit assistance from the United States and from which the US member is; All weapons export and sale will be prohibited; Control over export, re -export and transfer of double use goods will increase; Additional financial limitations will be introduced.
The assignment of this status of Russia would facilitate and enable the US to impose secondary sanctions on third parties who carry out operations with the Russian state and private sector entities. By giving the Russian Federation the status of a sponsor of terrorism, the United States and their allies can impose financial and trade sanctions on any state that will continue to cooperate with Russia.
This threat of secondary sanctions will increase the likelihood of compliance with existing sanctions, thus increasing their effectiveness. The assignment of this status would significantly increase the level of control by international counterparties in many Russian legal entities and individuals of the private sector. Potential business partners should be particularly careful in their proper verification and process of "Know your client" (KYC).
The complex diplomatic, legal and economic consequences for the US and other members of the sanction coalition in connection with the assignment of this status are indicated. However, the document states, laws that allow such status in the United States, provide sufficient flexibility for the development of effective strategies for softening most of these problems.
Russia's recognition by the sponsor of terrorism, as stated in the document, will attract more global attention to the nature of the Russian regime and atrocities and terror, which he committed against innocent Ukrainian citizens. This will increase the sanction pressure, volume and effectiveness of the Putin regime. Regarding risks, the law provides for the possibility of cooperation with Russian entities on joint humanitarian efforts.
It is noted that when assignment of the status of a sponsor of terrorism, you can add an exception to keep in touch with Russian diplomats when promoting US national interests. For example, even when Iran was recognized as a sponsor of terrorism, direct negotiations with Iranian diplomats on the conclusion of a joint comprehensive action plan (JCPOA) were conducted.
To reduce fears that US plaintiffs in the United States may exhaust some Russian state assets that are currently stored in the US and other banks of the democratic world, the United States government could decide that these assets are exempted from potential lawsuits and used for Reconstruction of Ukraine. The condition may be stipulated that if the Russian armed forces leave the territory of Ukraine and thus stop terrorizing the Ukrainian population, then the status will be abolished.