Within the face of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the USA, NATO, and different States and organizations are mobilizing a variety of responses to carry President Vladimir Putin and the Russian regime accountable and to extend the prices of Moscow’s actions. Some measures have been within the works for months, since Putin started ramping up Russia’s navy presence alongside Ukraine’s land and sea borders. A variety of different choices, which we element beneath, are nonetheless accessible to policymakers. 

The first instruments up to now have been diplomatic condemnation, sanctions, and weapons shipments to Ukraine. The U.S. Division of the Treasury’s Workplace of International Belongings Management (OFAC) on Thursday widened sanctions levied in opposition to Russia by imposing financial blockades on Russia’s largest monetary establishments, protecting 80 p.c of all property, and on the power of state-owned and personal entities to lift capital. The Biden administration additionally sanctioned extra Russian elites and their members of the family. In the meantime, the UK unveiled what Prime Minister Boris Johnson described because the “largest set of sanctions ever imposed wherever by the U.Okay. authorities.” These embody asset freezes on greater than 100 new entities and people (together with all main producers supporting Russia’s navy) and banning Aeroflot flights from the nation, which may have a selected influence on Russian elites who personal actual property in London. The EU imposed monetary, vitality, transport, and particular person sanctions.

Some personal sector actions have been notably inventive, actually: Carnegie Corridor canceled a five-concert U.S. tour that was to start right this moment by famed Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, who has usually expressed assist for his buddy, Putin, and accepted a prestigious prize from the chief.

Many extra potentialities exist for accountability, although the effectiveness of those choices might rely considerably on multilateral or multi-stakeholder motion, which implies aligning events with divergent pursuits and values. Allies have not but taken the step of reducing Russia off from the SWIFT financial institution messaging system, which might hamper Russian banks’ and people’ capacity to function on international monetary markets however may also trigger some unintended penalties. In the USA, a sanctions package deal that started as a bipartisan measure in opposition to Russia months in the past was earlier (earlier than the Russian invasion) slowed down in partisan bickering, though President Joe Biden has been capable of impose a variety of financial measures up to now with out new laws from Congress. That mentioned, there are presently bipartisan proposals on the desk, together with freezing and seizing the property of the so-called Navalny 35, an inventory of Russian oligarchs, officers, and others whom jailed Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny accuses of corruption, human rights abuses, and political persecution. Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus In opposition to International Corruption and Kleptocracy (CAFCAK), Representatives Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) and John Curtis (R-UT) known as for such a transfer once more Thursday. There have additionally been calls to use the World Magnitsky Act a lot extra vigorously in opposition to Russian officers implicated in human rights violations and corruption.

Ambassador Daniel Fried, in a panel dialogue co-sponsored by Simply Safety, supplied solutions for ramping up sanctions and different financial penalties. Sanctions on Russia’s central financial institution could possibly be dangerous due to potential monetary blowback, Fried mentioned, however this step could be a significant strike in opposition to Russia’s financial system. “You don’t get to earn cash working with our system when you find yourself attacking our system,” he mentioned.

However what accountability measures outdoors of the financial toolkit ought to policymakers be contemplating? The next represents a pattern of the varieties of measures that particular person international locations or coalitions within the worldwide group may impose instantly and because the battle unfolds. Many of those actions additionally could possibly be taken in opposition to Belarus to ship a robust sign for any state that might immediately assist such a warfare of aggression.

Impose Visa Bans

• Visa bans could possibly be used to disclaim Putin, his shut associates, Russian legislators who voted to authorize Putin’s use of navy forces in Ukraine, and different related Russian officers the power to journey. Edward Lucas, former senior editor at The Economist and creator of books on Russia and geopolitics, suggests “visa bans on all authorities ministers, on all members of the Duma and Federation Council, all governors and office-holders in Russia’s areas, on all officers within the ‘energy ministries’ and safety companies, and on the 35 people named in Alexei Navalny’s checklist… Announce a sweeping program of asset freezes on these people, and on corporations linked to the Kremlin or owned (even partially) by Kremlin cronies.”
• Restrictions on journey might be way more efficient if applied as broadly as doable throughout jurisdictions the place the focused people search to journey or reside.

Withhold Recognition of Illegal State of affairs, and Deny Help or Help to Russia

• As Diane Desierto explains, underneath worldwide legislation, “No State shall acknowledge as lawful a scenario created by a critical breach [of an obligation arising under a peremptory norm of general international law ], nor render help or help in sustaining that scenario” (emphasis added). The Worldwide Courtroom of Justice has emphasised the applicability of this customary worldwide legislation obligation within the context of aggression and illegal acquisition of territory. 

• A concerted diplomatic marketing campaign may convey different States alongside in respecting this obligation and ceasing help or help to Russia in sustaining its invasion and in what might change into an occupation or purported annexation of Ukraine. China, specifically, needs to be pressed to decide to assembly its obligations and keep away from supporting Russia’s efforts to evade sanctions and different accountability mechanisms.

Launch Info on Corruption and Cash Laundering

• The U.S. Division of the Treasury, in coordination with interagency companions, may launch data on corruption and cash laundering on the a part of Putin and his inside circle. The intelligence group ought to vet all press releases fastidiously to make sure safety of sources and strategies. 
• This motion could be simplest if undertaken in coordination with overseas counterparts, notably allies which have a big Russian enterprise group, equivalent to the UK.

Impose Penalties in Worldwide Organizations (IOs)

• For some IOs by which Russia is a member, dispute-resolution mechanisms or adjudicative mechanisms may present an avenue of accountability. Therefore, member States ought to assume twice about whether or not to exclude Russia from these fora. In different IOs, members ought to contemplate suspending or expelling Russia. 
• The Council of Europe (CoE), for instance, moved right this moment to right away droop Russia’s membership from the 47-member human rights group. Political scientist Jasmin Mujanović was amongst these suggesting such a transfer. He says it might “take away vital Russian affect from a key pan-European democratic discussion board. That’s particularly essential in susceptible non-EU states the place CoE opinions and choices carry extra weight.”
• Three choices which can be basically unavailable: difficult Russia’s authorized standing to carry the united states’s seat on the United Nations or suspending or expelling Russia from the U.N. The primary is probably going off the desk due, partially, to twenty years of silence from member States on the matter (the authorized precept of laches applies), and suspension or expulsion are topic to Russia’s (and China’s) veto. Diplomatic efforts could be higher spent elsewhere. That mentioned, if there have been ever enough political assist to power Russia to train its veto to remain on, that alone could also be a strong diplomatic success.
• The U.N. Safety Council is because of vote right this moment on a decision condemning the invasion and demanding that Russia instantly halt its navy operation and withdraw all troops from Ukraine. The decision might be blocked by Russia’s veto, however an identical measure is to comply with within the U.N. Basic Meeting, the place there isn’t a veto.

Isolate Russia Diplomatically 

• States also can take particular person steps to isolate Russia diplomatically. Governments can declare ambassadors, diplomats, and consular officers persona non grata and ship them dwelling, whereas sustaining a hotline for communication.  
• Lucas suggests, “Withdraw all Western (NATO, EU, OECD) ambassadors from Moscow and ship their Russian counterparts dwelling. Shut all Russian consulates, commerce missions. We’d like barebones embassies, nothing extra.”

Shut Down and Counter Disinformation Operations

• The USA and its allies took uncommon steps main as much as the invasion to declassify and share intelligence to debunk Russian propaganda and false flag operations. These efforts may proceed, in coordination with overseas companions, to reveal and counter Russian disinformation. The clear stakes of declassifying this intelligence earlier than the invasion to attempt to avert a warfare stay: the goal could be to cease Putin from increasing his threats to the worldwide order even additional. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned on Feb. 24 that Putin has ambitions past Ukraine. 
• Specifically, the intelligence group may launch intelligence on Russian hackers concerned in cyber operations in opposition to Ukraine as a part of a focused sanctions package deal, whereas defending intelligence sources and strategies.  
• The Division of Homeland Safety, as a part of its bigger function in countering the disinformation risk, may step up efforts to warn the American public of Russian efforts to form U.S. public opinion and media narratives. 
• Some social media corporations have already undertaken steps to extend their content material moderation and safety assets in response to the disaster. All social media corporations may step up efforts to take down false flag operations and Russian accounts spreading disinformation, in addition to to maneuver Ukraine to the best precedence tier for inside content material moderation and monitoring. Nevertheless, these steps needs to be undertaken with consideration for preserving proof of potential atrocity crimes. Justin Hendrix suggests that social media corporations may additionally take additional steps to isolate and deplatform propaganda shops and Russian officers.
• In contexts by which RT and different official Russian propaganda shops are broadcast on regulated networks, regulators may kick them off the networks. Following the European Union’s lead, the USA may work with allies to develop sanctions extra broadly in opposition to shops taking path from the Kremlin, equivalent to RT and the Web Analysis Company. 
• The West may additionally take steps to make sure Ukraine’s continued connectivity to the web by bolstering the nation’s cyber defenses, boosting connectivity from non-Russian neighboring states, and offering monetary help to telecommunications corporations to allow them to proceed providers in the course of the battle if billing is interrupted.  

​​Reduce Sports activities and Cultural Ties

• Amid discussions in 2017 on tips on how to punish Russia for its makes an attempt to govern the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Simply Safety creator John Sipher famous that autocratic leaders can generally be extra delicate to cultural and political sanctions than even financial sanctions. The Carnegie Corridor cancellation in opposition to Putin’s conductor buddy may ship a message, as may visa bans in opposition to youngsters of Russia’s elite who benefit from the privileges of training and tradition within the West.
• The Union of European Soccer Associations (UEFA) yanked the Champions League soccer ultimate from St. Petersburg, Russia, on account of the nation’s invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian soccer federation additionally known as for the suspension of all Russian membership and nationwide groups from worldwide competitions. System One racing canceled the Russian Grand Prix. The Worldwide Olympic Committee urged all sports activities federations to maneuver their occasions out of Russia and Belarus.
• Amongst different potential penalties nonetheless pending, the world soccer governing physique FIFA was nonetheless hedging.

Prosecute Worldwide Crimes

• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a textbook instance of the crime of aggression, and reviews of assaults that will represent warfare crimes or crimes in opposition to humanity have began to emerge. 
• Neither Ukraine nor Russia are celebration to the Rome Statute, however Ukraine has submitted a declaration giving the ICC jurisdiction for crimes dedicated anytime on its territory after February 2014. Ukraine may now request that the Workplace of the Prosecutor (OTP) transfer from preliminary examination to a full investigation that features the current disaster. Prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan QC issued a assertion Thursday night time saying that he’s  “carefully following current developments in and round Ukraine with growing concern” and reminding the events of his Workplace’s ongoing jurisdiction. 
• There isn’t any avenue for prosecution of the crime of aggression. Each the sufferer and aggressor State have to be events to the Rome Statute for the Courtroom to analyze or convey these expenses. As Russia will not be a member of the ICC, the prospects for prosecuting the crime of aggression are non-existent. Khan’s assertion additionally makes that clear.
• The USA can assist the ICC and nationwide courts that may train common jurisdiction (see e.g., Germany) by sharing related intelligence about potential perpetrators and actions.. Professor Peter Singer wrote, “One factor west must be doing extra of [is]figuring out publicly the Russian unit commanders, to create a public document linking them to warfare crimes.” The USA also needs to revisit its place that the ICC mustn’t train jurisdiction over non-States Events.  
• Beneath the Geneva Conventions grave breaches regime, all State events have an obligation to seek for and prosecute people inside their jurisdiction who commit warfare crimes in a world armed battle. States may make public statements reaffirming these obligations, and announce that their home authorities are ready to deal with warfare crimes by exercising such jurisdiction, particularly together with within the occasion of Russian makes an attempt to assassinate dissidents, journalists, or political leaders.

IMAGE: Clockwise from higher left: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – FEBRUARY 25: French President Emmanuel Macron (L), the President of the European Council Charles Michel (C) and the President of the European Fee Ursula von der Leyen (R) communicate to media on the finish of an EU Summit on the scenario in Ukraine on February 25, 2022 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photograph by Thierry Monasse/Getty Photographs); KYIV, UKRAINE – FEBRUARY 25: Folks have a look at the outside of a broken residential block hit by an early morning missile strike on February 25, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photograph by Chris McGrath/Getty Photographs); WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 24: U.S. President Joe Biden arrives to ship remarks about Russia’s “unprovoked and unjustified” navy invasion of neighboring Ukraine within the East Room of the White Home on February 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. Biden introduced a brand new spherical of sanctions in opposition to Russia after President Vladimir Putin launched an assault on Ukraine from the land, sea and air on Thursday. (Photograph by Drew Angerer/Getty Photographs); Russian Olympic Committee’s Vadim Shipachev will get prepared for the boys’s play-off quarterfinal match of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Video games ice hockey competitors on the Wukesong Sports activities Centre in Beijing on February 16, 2022. (Photograph by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP by way of Getty Photographs); Vassily Nebenzia (proper). Everlasting Consultant of the Russian Federation to the United Nations and President of the Safety Council for the month of February, chairs the emergency Safety Council assembly on the present scenario in Ukraine. At left is Secretary-Basic António Guterres. (UN Photograph/Mark Garten); Anti-war protesters maintain placards throughout an indication in opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in entrance of the NATO headquarters in Brussels on February 25, 2022, as NATO leaders maintain a unprecedented digital summit to debate the safety scenario in and round Ukraine. (Photograph by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)