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What the March 2018 US sanctions on Russians meant
Summary
A look back at sanctions imposed under a 2017 US law on 19 Russian nationals, announced days before the covered date.
What did Washington actually do in the days before 17 March 2018? On 15 March 2018, the Trump administration imposed financial sanctions on 19 Russian nationals, including 12 of those indicted in the Special Counsel investigation. The measures were taken under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, known as CAATSA.
The legal basis
CAATSA is a US federal law that imposed sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia. It works by preventing US companies from doing business with sanctioned entities. The Senate passed it on 27 July 2017 by 98 votes to 2, after the House approved it 419 to 3. President Donald Trump signed it on 2 August 2017, though he believed the legislation was seriously flawed.
Why it mattered
The 15 March action showed the law being applied against named individuals. Its reach was notable in one respect: twelve of the nineteen people had been indicted in the Special Counsel investigation, linking the financial penalties to that inquiry. Because the law bars US companies from dealing with those sanctioned, the listed Russians faced restrictions on doing business with American firms.
The lopsided congressional votes behind CAATSA also stood out against the president's own reservations about it. Yet the administration, under his leadership, used the law's powers against the 19 individuals.
