NYT: Secretary of State Anthony Blinken not sure about the need to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is not sure of the need to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. The American newspaper The New York Times writes about it.

Yes, for several weeks Blinken has been under pressure to officially declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism. But Blinken resists this, because it will be necessary to impose sanctions on US allies who do business with Russia, and to destroy the remains of diplomacy between Washington and Moscow.

Blinken already stated that the sanctions imposed against the Russian Federation by the USA and other countries "absolutely correspond to the consequences that would occur if it were recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism, therefore, the practical results are the same."

The New York Times writes that the "state sponsor of terrorism" label will lead to new sanctions against Russiaʼs already devastated economy, including fines against countries that have relations with Moscow. It would also remove traditional legal barriers that prevent private individuals from suing foreign governments for damages, including the families of American volunteers killed or wounded during the war in Ukraine. Also, this decision may once and for all sever the limited diplomatic ties of the Biden administration with Moscow, which Blinken considers necessary to preserve.

There are disagreements between the Biden administration and Congress over the status of Russia. It was the same at the beginning of the war in Ukraine, when the first evidence of atrocities appeared, and leaders of Congress accused the Russian armed forces of committing war crimes. Mr. Blinken was cautious, citing legal criteria and the need for evidence and investigation.

Against the backdrop of outrage over the war in Ukraine, the US Senate unanimously approved a resolution on July 27, which is not binding, but calls on Blinken to recognize Russia as a sponsor of terrorist attacks in Ukraine, as well as in Chechnya, Georgia and Syria, as a result of which "countless innocent men, women have died and children".