The US President Barack Obama on 18 December 2014 signed Ukraine Freedom Support Bill, 2014 passed by the US Congress. With this, the Bill has now become Ukraine Freedom Support Act, 2014.
The Act authorizes more sanctions on Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis. However, it does not intend to impose sanctions on Russia. Rather, the Act gives the administration additional authorities that could be utilized if any circumstance arises.
The Act also authorizes 350 million US dollars in lethal and non-lethal military aid to the Ukrainian government, including anti-Tank weapons, munitions and surveillance drones.
The Act also gives the administration the authority to impose further sanctions on Russia against Ukraine crisis, that is, Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.
The Act extends applicability of certain US sanctions involving Russia and Ukraine to non-US persons.
However, the Act would terminate when the US President certifies to Congress that Russia has, among other actions, ceased undermining the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The Act significantly expanded the scope of US sanctions against Russia as a result of the Ukrainian crisis and it comes on the same day when European Union imposed new sanctions on Russia which was described by Russia as absolutely unacceptable.
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