Proposals to Impose Sanctions on Russian Sovereign Debt (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Aug. 6, 2018 |
| Report Number |
IN10946 |
| Report Type |
Insight |
| Authors |
Rebecca M. Nelson |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
The United States imposes sanctions on hundreds of Russian individuals and entities for aggression against Ukraine,
election interference, malicious cyber activity, human rights violations, weapons proliferation, and other activities.
Some Members of Congress are proposing additional sanctions in response to continuing objectionable behavior by the
Russian government. One proposal is to sanction new debt issued by the Russian government. If enacted, U.S. investors
would be prohibited from buying or trading new Russian sovereign debt.
Targeting Russian sovereign debt would escalate U.S. sanctions against Russia. Some analysts call it the "nuclear
option." No other government sanctions Russian sovereign debt, although the British government debated it following
the nerve agent attack against a former Russian intelligence officer and his daughter in the United Kingdom in March
2018. However, the United States has sanctioned the sovereign debt of other countries, including Iran and Venezuela.
