Congress will reportedly attempt to push through a measure declaring Russia as an "aggressor state" this week, in time for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's scheduled Wednesday visit to Washington.
Ideally, though, Zelenskyy wants the U.S. to declare Russia a state sponsor of terror, similar to what the European Parliament did in November, and what Poland plans to do later this week.
The Biden administration has reportedly rejected labeling Russia as a state sponsor of terror because it would hamper the U.S. in engaging with Russia. It might also handcuff the administration on diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
"We're 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," State Department spokesman Ned Price said Tuesday at a press briefing.
Biden administration officials and congressional leadership are negotiating the draft text, The Hill reported, citing Republican congressional aides who criticized the effort for failing to impose any serious costs onto Moscow.
"It's a half-baked p.r. measure that won't do anything to punish Russia, nor help the Ukrainian people," a congressional aide familiar with the negotiations told The Hill.
A version of the draft text, obtained by The Hill, said the president, upon enactment of the measure, can designate Russia as an "Aggressor State."
Biden also has the power to "designate any foreign country" as an aggressor state, if the president determines it is engaged in acts of aggression against Ukraine.
Some U.S. organizations supporting Ukraine are against designating Russia as an aggressor state, The Hill reports.
"The Biden administration’s newly proposed 'Aggressor State' designation for Russia is a damaging concept that undermines current congressional efforts to support Ukraine," according to a joint statement Tuesday by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, the Joint Baltic American National Committee and Razom for Ukraine.
"While the U.S. government, Congress, and President Biden have done much to support Ukraine, the 'Aggressor State' proposal is counterproductive and should not be adopted," the statement added.
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