U.S. Congress Aims To Label Russia ‘Aggressor State’

U.S. Congress will reportedly attempt to push through a measure declaring Russia as an "aggressor state" this week, in light of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Washington today, TURAN's U.S. correspondent reports.

The designation, if passed, would provide the White House new sanctions authorities to target Russian officials; albeit Ideally, Zelenskyy and Ukrainian leadership would like the U.S. to declare Russia a state sponsor of terror, similar to what the European Parliament did in November.

The Biden administration has been reluctant to label Russia as a state sponsor of terror because it would handcuff the administration on its efforts to end the war, while it would also hamper civil society organization's ability to provide humanitarian assistance, including inside Ukraine.

In the meantime, the State Department said on Tuesday that it's working with Congress on "a potential alternative that would allow us to continue to increase the costs on the Kremlin and those who are responsible for Russia's war against Ukraine without some of the unintended consequences that the state sponsor of terrorism, the state sponsor designation might bring," as Department spokesman Ned Price put it during a press briefing in response to TURAN's questions.

An estimated 50,000 alleged Russian war crimes have been documented by Ukrainian officials.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.