Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal and Benjamin Cardin, as well as Republican Lindsey Graham, addressed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen asking for strengthening sanctions against the accomplices of the Putin regime and enablers of war in Ukraine. They suggested relying on the list compiled by the Anti-Corruption Foundation.
The individuals on the ACF list are “crucial to the regime's ability to function and maintain support for the war,” the Senators wrote. They noted that many of Putin’s senior associates have already been sanctioned. But the restrictions should extend to a wider range of individuals. These include militarists, propagandists, bribetakers and federal officials.
“It is our strong belief that beginning to sanction people from the ACF list, in a public way, would gain the full attention among those listed. It would make those who have not yet been sanctioned fully consider the costs of their continued support for the regime and the war,” the senators wrote.
The imposition of sanctions against them could create an effective wedge between Putin and his accomplices, which would weaken the regime and its ability to wage war. The senators recalled the resolution of the European Parliament calling for tougher sanctions. Among other things, it calls for personal sanctions to be extended to people from the ACF list.
A similar letter to the US Treasury Secretary was previously signed by nine other US Senators. We are updating and refining the list of Putin’s accomplices and war enablers and expect them to be held accountable for their complicity with the criminal regime.