The United States Congress voted on Thursday, 7 April, to end normal trade relations with Russia, and also codified the ban on oil imports from the Vladimir Putin regime.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has entered its seventh week, and the Congress vote comes in the backdrop of Putin's daughters, Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova, being added on the US sanctions list.
The Senate voted 100-0 in favour of removing Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status for both Russia and Belarus.
The House of Representatives also passed the trade measure by 420 to 3.
Another legislation to ban oil imports (which was initally an executive order signed by the president) was also passed by both chambers.
Essentially, Russia is not exempted from the "most favoured nation" trade status, a status that ensures non-discriminatory trade between all partner countries of the World Trade Organisation.
This means that Russia can no longer receive the benefits that other WTO partners receive from the US, such as low tariffs, high import quotas, and limited trade barriers for goods and services.
Ending normal trade relations allows President Joe Biden to impose high tariffs on imports.
"This package is about bringing every tool of economic pressure to bear on (Russian President) Vladimir Putin and his oligarch cronies. Putin’s Russia does not deserve to be a part of the economic order that has existed since the end of World War Two," stated Senator Ron Wyden, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, reported Reuters.
Additionally, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer asserted that "Putin must absolutely be held accountable for the detestable, despicable war crimes he is committing against Ukraine: the images we have seen coming out of that country... are just pure evil."
The legislation passed by Congress also applies to Belarus, led by Aleksandr Lukashenko, which maintains extremely close ties with Russia. Belarus has also been used as a launchpad for the Russian invasion from the north of Ukraine.
(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)
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