Three laws section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act, section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and section 1754 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 designate countries that the Secretary of State determines have consistently supported acts of international terrorism. When combined, the designation under these authority results in four primary kinds of sanctions: limitations on U.S. foreign aid; a prohibition on defense exports and sales; specific controls over the export of dual-use products; and various financial and other restrictions.

US boosts anti-terrorism efforts at home and abroad

The biggest immediate asymmetric danger to world stability and prosperity, as well as the security of residents of NATO member states, is terrorism. Terrorism is a continuous worldwide problem that transcends country boundaries and religious and national boundaries. The international community must work together to address this threat. NATO will keep up its resolute and united defense against this menace. 

NATO’s counterterrorism efforts are concentrated on raising public awareness of the danger, building readiness and response capabilities, and strengthening connections with allies and other international players. According to a senior US official on Thursday, the US is certain that Germany won’t allow Russia to open the Nord Stream 2 pipeline if Moscow invades Ukraine. The third-ranking official in the State Department, Victoria Nuland, told reporters that “Nord Stream 2 will not move forward if Russia invades Ukraine, one way or another.” “I believe that even now, the statements emanating from Berlin are extremely powerful,” she remarked. When asked why the US was so sure, she said that German officials had not yet tested or approved the pipeline. “We’ll collaborate with Germany to make sure the pipeline doesn’t proceed,” Nuland declared.

US ramps up international cooperation

In the event that Russia strikes Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock informed the parliament earlier on Thursday that her country was “working on a strong package of sanctions” with Western partners, “including Nord Stream 2.” Germany controversially pushed the link with Russia, which is essential to the largest economy in Europe for gas, in spite of worries that it will weaken Ukraine’s influence by enabling Moscow to avoid its neighbor. Last year, President Joe Biden faced backlash from the domestic community for not placing penalties on Nord Stream’s operator, claiming that the pipeline was almost complete. Instead, his government came to an agreement with Germany to use the project as leverage. In addition, Nuland stated that the US has requested China, a US ally along with Russia, to stifle Moscow’s actions, since Moscow had gathered tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine’s borders. “We are urging Beijing to use its clout with Moscow to promote diplomacy, as a conflict in Ukraine will not be beneficial for China either,” Nuland stated. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the problem over the phone late on Wednesday Washington time.

US strengthens domestic defenses against terrorism

Next month, Russian President Vladimir Putin will be in Beijing for the Olympics, which the US is officially boycotting because of concerns about human rights. On Monday night, Scholz also had meetings with influential senators from both parties, including Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and senior Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer. Biden declared that he was confident in Germany’s dependability as a partner and that the United States fully trusted Scholz. “The United States and Germany are unquestionably partners of None,” stated Biden. Both Biden and American officials stressed that penalties against Russia were being planned together and that Germany was the country that gave Kyiv the most non-military aid after the United States. A U.S. official stated that although the specifics of the sanctions package are still being worked out, removing Russia from the SWIFT financial transaction system is still a possibility.

US teams up to combat terrorism

The head of the American Council on Germany, Steven Sokol, stated that Scholz needs to make clear Germany’s stance on Nord Stream 2 and provide greater “creativity” in aiding Ukraine, that is, help other than military aid. Germany has to understand that if it wants to be more of a player on the world stage and carry more responsibility, then with that comes taking more action,” said Sokol. “In order to be a leader, Germany has to do more. A short distance away, a covert tunnel leads to an underground bunker where units of Ukrainian soldiers follow Russian spy satellites and listen in on talks between Russian generals. A red line on one screen traced the path of an explosive drone from a site in central Ukraine to a target in the Russian city of Rostov, weaving between Russian air defenses.