Key Developments

• The lower house of the Russian parliament has approved the treaty annexing Crimea by a vote of 443 to 1.
   
• Ukraine has threatened to leave the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a Russian-led regional organization.
   
• On Wednesday, Russia began issuing passports to residents of Crimea, declaring that they had become citizens of Russia after the treaty was signed.
   
• In an appearance at the Brookings Institute, NATO Secretary General Anders Rasmussen declared Russian actions in Crimea to be “gravest threat” to European security since the Cold War.  Rasmussen went on to say that NATO was weighing assistance to Ukraine.  NATO has canceled plans to escort Russian ships ferrying chemicals from Syria and staff-level meetings between NATO and Russian officials.
   
• President Obama gave a six-minute statement from the White House on the Crimean crisis:
  • Obama condemned conscious decisions made by the Russian government, Obama detailed additional sanctions against more senior officials of the Russian government, individuals with significant resources who provide support to the Russian government and a bank that provides material support to these individuals.
     
  • The U.S. Treasury identified the 20 additional individuals, including senior Russian legislative leaders, and the Rossiya Bank as those targeted by the sanctions.
     
  • Obama revealed that he signed a new executive order allowing for sanctions against key sectors of the Russian economy.
     
• European leaders are also weighing additional sanctions.
   
• Japan has suspended investment and visa talks with Russia.  In a news conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga declared that the “recognition of Crimean independence by Russia violates Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is regrettable.”

Government Statements

Barack Obama, “President Obama Statement on Russian Intervention in Ukraine,” C-SPAN, March 20, 2014

“Ukraine-related designations – Specially Designated Nationals List Update,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, March 20, 2014

“Remarks to the Press by Vice President Joe Biden, President Dalia Grybauskaite of Lithuania, and President Andris Berzins of Latvia,” The White House, March 19, 2014

Articles

Kimberly Marten, "Vladimir Putin: Ethnic Russian Nationalist," The Washington Post, March 19, 2014

Willy Englund and Kathy Lally, “Russian parliament moves to ratify Crimea takeover; Obama announces new sanctions,” The Washington Post, March 20, 2014

Janine Davidson, “Thinking the Unthinkable in Ukraine,” The National Interest, March 20, 2014

Humphrey Hawksley, “Ukraine crisis: Could Trans-Dniester be next?,” BBC News, March 20, 2014

Terrence McCoy, “Is Crimea part of Russia?  Ukraine?  Welcome to Wikipedia’s quandary,” The Washington Post, March 20, 2014

“Ukrainian ultras put aside differences in demonstration of solidarity,” The Guardian, March 20, 2014

Gareth Evans, “The Ukraine Nuclear Delusion,” Project Syndicate, March 19, 2014

David Alexander and Krista Hughes, “U.S.-Russia sanctions rhetoric shakes companies, investors,” Reuters, March 19, 2014

Mark Landler, “With Russia, as With China, Unnerved U.S. Allies Seek Reassurances,” The New York Times, March 19, 2014

Job C. Henning and William Courtney, “Don’t Just Sanction Russia, Deter It,” The National Interest, March 18, 2014

“Japan to impose sanctions on Russia for Crimea move,” Reuters, March 17, 2014