US waits for Zelenskyy's approval to recognize Russia as aggressor state

It is noted that over the past few months, the administration of US President Joe Biden has been working with Congress on legislation that would officially recognize Russia as an “aggressor state”. Legislators are now awaiting approval from Volodymyr Zelenskyy when he personally addresses Congress.

If Zelenskyy approves this decision, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi will present the draft law this week.

The draft law on recognizing Russia as an "aggressor state" provides that the US president will be able to impose sanctions on any person who “is responsible for the crime of aggression, is involved in it or is an accomplice.”

It is noted that the label “aggressor state” is less hawkish than the “state sponsor of terrorism” that many lawmakers demanded to be imposed on Russia after its full-scale invasion. State sponsor of terrorism status would isolate Moscow internationally and force the US to impose sanctions on countries that cooperate with the Kremlin.

The White House resisted for a long time because it was afraid of negative consequences for the exchange of prisoners of war, the mediation of the UN regarding the export of grain from Ukraine, as well as other things. The Biden administration rejected the proposal, saying “it would tie the US's hands in dealing with Russia in general and hinder the administration's diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine.”