Center for American Progress: The Unfinished Response to Ukraine

Last month, the Center for American Progress recommended a series of steps that the United States should take to support the Ukrainian government and establish a cost for Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Several of these steps continue to require U.S. action, including:

Expanding sanctions to include Russian state-owned enterprises, the Central Bank, foreign financial transactions, and international business interests.
Scrutinizing Russia’s compliance with anti-money-laundering laws.
Creating a “Friends of Ukraine” group to help build a successful Ukraine.
Authorizing comprehensive economic and security assistance that goes beyond the inadequate package passed by Congress.
Passing reforms of the International Monetary Fund into law to improve access to financing for Ukraine and other nations.
Developing a long-term strategy to diversify European energy resources.

The illegal annexation of Crimea itself requires punitive steps beyond the relatively measured actions already taken, regardless of whether Russian President Vladimir Putin invades and annexes parts of Eastern Ukraine. Washington should begin targeting Russia’s economic elite and key commercial sectors—starting with banking—through investigation and enforcement of anti-money-laundering and illicit finance laws, as well as with sanctions against additional Russian financial institutions and individuals. The United States should encourage the European Union to take the same steps, but it should not wait to follow Europe’s lead.

Failing to impose a meaningful cost for Russia’s forcible annexation of foreign territory would further embolden Russia to take similar steps in other neighboring states. It would also affect the strategic calculus of other nations in territorial disputes, increasing the willingness of states to use coercion, subterfuge, and military force with less fear of significant international backlash.

Russia is not Iran or North Korea; it cannot be completely isolated. As it did during the darkest days of the Cold War, the United States should try where possible to maintain some avenues of cooperation with Russia on issues of mutual benefit, such as nuclear nonproliferation. But right now, it is critical to show lasting resolve with sanctions and isolation that can continue until President Putin or a future Russian leader decides to start abiding by the rules and norms of the international community. To have sanctions eased, the first step for Russia should be to seek a diplomatic accommodation with the Ukrainian government and Russia’s other neighbors, even if it takes years.

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/security/news/2014/04/25/88655/the-unfinished-response-to-ukraine/

A good liberal, long-term set of actions in Ukraine.