Trump Administration Eases Russia Sanctions

The Treasury Department announced Thursday it would be scaling back sanctions put forward by Obama on Russian intelligence agency Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti, otherwise known as FSB, despite some Republicans calling for stronger sanctions.

The document released by the department weakens the sanctions Obama put in place by executive order in response to cyberattacks. American businesses will now be able to engage in financial transactions with the FSB, which is sometimes a necessary step in trading with Russia.

President Obama first levied these sanctions in April 2015 and strengthened them in late December of 2016 following a comprehensive intelligence report that Russia hacks were intended to interfere in the November election.

The document, technically a "general license," appears to allow trade with FSB, noting it "authorizes certain transactions with the Federal Security Service (aka FSB)."

Asked about the move, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that it's common after sanctions have been levied for the administration to "carve out" certain exceptions. He declined to comment further, directing questions to the Treasury Department.

"We're not easing sanctions," Spicer said.

On Twitter, Pete Alexander of NBC News said a source familiar with sanctions called it a "technical fix, planned under Obama, to avoid unintended consequences of cybersanctions."

Regardless of the motivation or the terms used, the text is clear that the additional rules will allow more cooperation with the FSB.

Nikolai Kovalyov, a former director of the FSB, praised the step to the government-owned Tass news agency.

"This is the first step on the way leading to cooperation in the war on terror," he said. "These practical actions indicate that US President Donald Trump has been consistent."

"I am truly shocked," said Marie Harf, a former spokesperson for the State Department. "I shouldn't be, after two weeks of foreign policy chaos, but I am."

But other commentators disagreed that the decision was that shocking.

"This is nothing more geopolitical kabuki dancing between Washington and Moscow," said Justin Thomas Russell, the host of "Backroom Politics" on sidewire. "It is a slight roll back without much teeth but it makes it look like a he is fulfilling a BIG FAVOR for a new bff... Putin."

Others pointed out that the timing is particularly inopportune, as reports broke Thursday that a critic of the Kremlin, Vladimir Kara-Murza, nearly died from organ failure after a prior apparent poisoning.*

Many had predicted President Trump would lift the sanctions on Russia, given his friendly rhetoric on President Vladimir Putin and his public dismissal of the evidence on Kremlin-directed hacks.

But many Republicans have urged Trump to reconsider softening on Russia.

“I’m absolutely opposed to lifting sanctions on the Russians,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Sunday. “If anything, we ought to be looking at increasing them.”

After the policy was announced Thursday, Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, decried the move:

Read the full license from Treasury>>

*Correction: A prior version of this article reported that Vladimir Kara-Murza died due to an apparent poisoning. It has been corrected to say he nearly died; he is in a medically-induced comas according to the most recent report..

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