Tillerson to panel: Keep Russia options open
Suggests new sanctions could shut down talks
WASHINGTON — The U.S. relationship with Russia is at an alltime low and deteriorating further, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday, yet he cautioned against taking steps that might close off promising avenues of communication.
Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Tillerson was noncommittal about a package of new sanctions, saying he’s still reviewing the proposed penalties that Senate Republicans and Democrats agreed upon. But it’s important, he stressed, that President Donald Trump have the flexibility “to turn the heat up” on Russia if necessary.
At the same time, he said he doesn’t want to preemptively shut down a potentially productive conversation. As an example, Tillerson said talks with Moscow on stabilizing Syria are progressing, but it’s too early to tell if the discussions will bear fruit.
Top lawmakers on two Senate committees — Banking and Foreign Relations — announced the sanctions deal late Monday amid the firestorm over Russia’s meddling in the presidential election and investigations into possible collusion with members of Trump’s campaign.
If the Trump administration decides to oppose the new sanctions, they could be in a bind. The package is to be added to a bill imposing penalties on Iran that the Senate is currently debating.
A vote on the Russia sanctions is scheduled for Wednesday, and the measure is expected to get strong bipartisan support. The legislation was worked out by Sens. Mike
Crapo, R-idaho, and Sherrod Brown, D-ohio, of the Banking Committee, and Sens. Bob Corker, R-tenn., and Ben Cardin, D-MD., of the Foreign Relations panel.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., also participated in the negotiations and pushed for provisions that bars punished individuals from using family members to get around the sanctions.
“This amendment also takes appropriate steps to ensure that current sanctions cannot be unilaterally unwound by this administration,” Shaheen said.
The legislation also allows new penalties on key elements of the Russia economy, including mining, metals, shipping and railways.
House and Senate committees are investigating Russia’s meddling and potential links to the Trump campaign. Special counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a separate probe.