Obama Said to Ready Sanctions on Russian Industries

[bananas]

Source: Bloomberg

The U.S. is preparing sanctions aimed at specific areas of the Russian economy, including energy and technology, as the Obama administration readies the next steps to pressure Russia over the Ukraine crisis, according to three people briefed on the plans.

The sanctions would apply to technology used to explore, produce, transport, or deliver natural gas, crude and their refined products, according to two of the people, who asked for anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the deliberations.

Further U.S. action may await the results of a European Union summit scheduled to begin tomorrow. President Barack Obama is counting on support from the EU, which has deeper economic ties with Russia than the U.S., to make any wider sanctions more effective.

<snip>

While some EU members have expressed concern about the impact of new sanctions on their economies, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told parliament today that broader penalties against Russia are “back on the agenda” if progress isn’t made to end the Ukrainian conflict. Germany is Russia’s largest trading partner.

<snip>

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers are preparing to run newspaper advertisements tomorrow in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, warning that more sanctions risk harming U.S. workers and businesses, said a person familiar with the plans, who asked not to be identified to discuss private deliberations.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-25/obama-said-to-ready-sanctions-on-russian-industries.html

[Purveyor]

1. Related: Follow the Money to Putin Inc. to See Why U.S. Struggles With Russia

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101696200

[karynnj]

2. It is a contingency plan -- per teh Secretary of State

From today's press availability:

MS. PSAKI: The first question will be from Anne Gearan of The Washington Post.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, you said a moment ago that Russian President Putin will be judged by his actions, not his words, on Ukraine. He did call this week for the rescinding of the invasion powers for Ukraine, and that was acted on today. Is that enough, in your view, to at least start the conversation about what the West might do in response – specifically, not taking the sectoral sanctions step? Is there anything really practical that you want to see Putin do in the next couple of days before the EU meets on Friday to continue that conversation? The things you outlined are much more long term. What do you want to see him do in the next like 36 hours that would change that conversation on Friday?

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, first of all, we are not announcing a new round of sanctions today, but we are going to continue to take steps to prepare in the event that the circumstances on the ground warrant those sanctions. And so we’re coordinating with our European partners in order to prepare for that.

Now, we are delighted that President Putin put to the Duma the retraction of that law which empowered Russia to take action in Ukraine. That’s important. It’s a great step. But it could be reversed in 10 minutes, and everyone knows that. The greatest difference will be made by the president publicly calling for the separatists to lay down their arms, by President Putin engaging his diplomatic service actively in the effort to help empty buildings, helping to get people to disarm, helping to convene the meetings that need to take place in order to negotiate and to move forward.

There are concrete actions – moving forces out, not allowing tanks and rocket launchers to actually cross the border. There are many concrete things that would make a difference, and we intend to work as cooperatively as possible. These aren’t – what we’re trying to do is make a set of concrete suggestions that really make the difference to what is happening on the ground. Yesterday, a helicopter – a Ukrainian helicopter was shot down and nine Ukrainian soldiers were killed. And it was shot down with a Russian weapon, with a MANPAD RPG capacity that took that helicopter out. And so it is – there are concrete steps, and we are prepared to work very, very closely with Russia in an effort to implement those steps.

And likewise, Ukraine also can take steps in a mutual way, and they’re prepared to do that. President Poroshenko obviously has done so by unilaterally putting in place a ceasefire and by taking great political heat himself in doing so. Now’s the time for this moment to really come together, and that is why the allies are talking about preparing sanctions – not implementing them today, but preparing them in the event that this effort were to fail.

http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2014/06/228444.htm

(Recently I noticed that the State Department has transcripts of Kerry's press availabilities. http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2014/index.htm )

[L0oniX]

3. This is fucking stupid.

[delrem]

4. No. Fucking. Shit.

But the usual wunderkinds will love it.

A name: Victoria Nuland.
Here's a video that DUer newthinking showed me of John Kerry entertaining the R. Kagan / V. Nuland family and the entire PNAC enterprise (which Kerry was there to use everything in his power, as SoS, to support).

Don't eat anything for 4 hrs before watching this. It is disgusting in the extreme. Esp. the glowing (and joking) references to Hillary Clinton and Dick Cheney at approx. 9 min mark

[840high]

5. Thanks.

[rpannier]

6. U.S. Chamber of Commerce are concerned it'll hurt workers

That's laughably sickening
The Chamber of Commerce is front-and-center in it's support of globalization, free trade and no minimum wage