---
title: "US issues fresh round of sanctions against Russia ahead of Trump return to White House"
description: "WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday imposed hundreds of sanctions targeting Russia in an action that seeks to increase pressure on Moscow in the final days of the Biden administration and protects some of the sanctions it has already imposed ahead of Donald Trump's second presidential term."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Ukraine war"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-15-us-issues-fresh-round-of-sanctions-against-russia-ahead-of-trump-return-to-white-house/"
published: "2025-01-15T21:46:54"
updated: "2025-01-15T21:46:56"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 625
---

# US issues fresh round of sanctions against Russia ahead of Trump return to White House

> WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday imposed hundreds of sanctions targeting Russia in an action that seeks to increase pressure on Moscow in the final days of the Biden administration and protects some of the sanctions it has already imposed ahead of Donald Trump's second presidential term.

By Reuters · Published 15 January 2025, 23:46 SAST · Updated 15 January 2025, 23:46 SAST

## Key points
- In a bold move to tighten the screws on Russia's sanctions evasion, the US has just sanctioned over 250 entities—including some in China—while ensuring that any future attempts to lift these measures will require a congressional passcode, effectively putting a "no take-backs" sign on Trump's incoming administration's potential rapprochement with Putin.
- The US imposed sanctions on over 250 targets, including Chinese entities, to counter Russia's evasion of US sanctions and bolster its military industrial base.
- Nearly 100 previously sanctioned Russian entities face new restrictions, complicating potential future reversals under the incoming Trump administration.
- Sanctions also target a Russia-China evasion scheme and the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which remains crucial for nuclear safety.
- The Biden administration's ongoing sanctions aim to strengthen leverage for peace negotiations in Ukraine as Trump prepares to take office.

## Content

The US State and Treasury departments imposed sanctions on over 250 targets, including some based in China, taking aim at Russia's evasion of US sanctions and its military industrial base.

As part of the action, the Treasury imposed new curbs on almost 100 entities that were already under sanctions in a move that potentially complicates any future efforts to remove the measures ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday.

Russia's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Treasury in a statement said Washington was imposing fresh sanctions on almost 100 critical Russian entities - including Russian banks and companies operating in Russia's energy sector - that were previously sanctioned by the United States in a move it said increases secondary sanctions risk for them.

The new sanctions are issued under an executive order that a senior Treasury official said requires Congress to be notified before any of the actions can be reversed.

Jeremy Paner, a partner at the law firm Hughes Hubbard & Reed, said the actions are "Trump-proofed," preventing reversal of the additional sanctions without congressional approval.

"You can't just with the stroke of a pen remove what's being done," he said.

Edward Fishman, a former US official who is now a research scholar at Columbia University, calling it a "very significant action."

"It protects these sanctions against sort of any frivolous decision to lift them," he said. "It gives the new Trump administration more leverage with Russia."

Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It was unclear how [Trump](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/donald-trump/), who succeeds President Joe Biden on Monday, will approach the issue of sanctions on Russia. Trump has been friendly toward Russian President [Vladimir Putin](https://www.reuters.com/topic/person/vladimir-putin/) in the past and said on Monday that he would aim to meet quickly with him to discuss [Ukraine](https://www.reuters.com/topic/event/ukraine-crisis/).

When asked about his [strategy](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3OA00P&linkedFromStory=true) to end the war, Trump told Newsmax: "Well, there's only one strategy and it's up to Putin and I can't imagine he's too thrilled about the way it's gone because it hasn't gone exactly well for him either."

SANCTIONS EVASION SCHEME

Washington also took action against a sanctions evasion scheme established between actors in Russia and China, targeting regional clearing platforms in the two countries that it said have been working to allow cross-border payments for sensitive goods. The Treasury said several Russian banks under US sanctions were participants.

China's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Also hit with sanctions on Wednesday was Keremet Bank, a Kyrgyzstan-based financial institution the Treasury accused of coordinating with Russian officials and a bank designated by the United States to circumvent sanctions.

Keremet Bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The US State Department also imposed sanctions on Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.

The plant, located in Ukraine's south east, was captured by Russia shortly after it launched the invasion in 2022. It is shut down but needs external power to keep its nuclear material cool and prevent a meltdown.

The sanctions will not affect its operations, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday, citing the plant's spokeswoman.

The Biden administration has imposed rafts of punitive measures targeting Russia over its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine that has killed or wounded thousands and reduced cities to rubble. Washington has repeatedly sought to counter the [evasion](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3M51F0&linkedFromStory=true) of its measures.

Less than a week ago, the administration imposed its broadest package of sanctions so far targeting Russia's [oil and gas revenues](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3O50T3&linkedFromStory=true) in an effort to give Kyiv and Trump's incoming team leverage to reach a deal for peace in Ukraine.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis, David Brunnstrom, Steve Holland and David Lawder; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bill Berkrot)