Russia’s War Against Ukraine: Overview of U.S. Assistance and Sanctions

Summary:

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a new war against Ukraine, a country Russia first invaded in 2014 and has partially occupied for almost a decade. The United States, member states of NATO and the European Union (EU), and other allies have called Russia’s war against Ukraine “unprovoked and unjustified.” In March 2022, the U.N. General Assembly voted 141-5 to demand Russia “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw” from Ukraine (47 countries, including China and India, registered abstentions or did not vote). After Russia purported to annex additional Ukrainian territories in fall 2022, the General Assembly declared by a vote of 143-5 that Russia’s actions had “no validity under international law.” The United States, in coordination with the EU and others, has provided substantial assistance to Ukraine, imposed increasingly severe sanctions on Russia and enablers of its war in Ukraine, and sought to promote accountability for Russian war crimes. For more, see CRS In Focus IF12277, Russia’s War on Ukraine: U.S. Policy and the Role of Congress.

Further Information:

This Insight was first published in February 2022 and subsequently updated. The latest update was published in December 2023. All updates can be checked on the Primary Source link provided below.

• Primary Source