Page 19 - RusRPTJan21

The final text of the document contains not so many sanctions against Russia as it was suggested during its discussion. The main thing is new sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream gas pipelines. They turned out to be softer than originally anticipated, but they can still turn into new difficulties for the project. The further fate of sanctions against Russia will be decided by Congress together with the Joe Biden administration, which plans to revise Trump's entire sanctions legacy.
The project provides for sanctions for facilitating the sale, lease and provision of pipe-laying vessels for the construction of Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream, for the modernization of such vessels, as well as for the provision of insurance and certification services to projects.
The new sanctions will create additional problems for Nord Stream 2, said Maximillian Hess, an expert at the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies, to RBC. In his opinion, the main danger is the sanctions against the project insurers. “Russia has demonstrated attempts to somehow get out of this situation and neutralize the threat of US sanctions, but so far such plans have not led to a result,” he said.
In addition to sanctions against gas pipelines, the bill provides for restrictions on Turkey for the purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems.
There are no new sanctions for meddling in US elections, but it offers a clearer definition of such meddling than before - these are acts in violation of US electoral laws by persons acting in the interests of foreign governments with the intent to influence voters or undermine public confidence. to electoral procedures or institutions or election results.
There is a separate clause on combating money laundering by Russian structures. A year after the entry into force of the military budget law, the US Treasury Department is to submit a report listing measures to combat such laundering, including by identifying the owners of anonymous companies, strengthening the verification of real estate buyers, clients of law firms and trust managers, and others.
Within six months after the law is passed, the Pentagon and US national intelligence are to submit a report on Russia's influence on racially or ethnically motivated extremist groups outside Russia.
After approval in the House of Representatives, the draft defense budget will be sent to the Senate. There he is also expected to be adopted by a majority vote. Both houses of Congress have already agreed on their versions of the bill.
But problems with its adoption may arise at the stage of signing by the president: Donald Trump wrote on Twitter a few hours before the vote that he was going to veto "a very weak draft defense budget." He is trying to achieve the inclusion of a clause on the abolition of Art. 230 of the law on ethics in the field of communications, which effectively equates social networks with the media. But there will likely be enough votes in Congress to overcome his veto.
19 ​RUSSIA Country Report​ January 2021 ​ ​www.intellinews.com