Congress Proposes to Extend Limits on US-Russian Military Cooperation

The United States should limit military cooperation with Russia for one additional year, the draft 2019 National Defense Authorization Bill revealed. The draft bill also says US Congress may enact new sanctions that target contractors of Russian defense companies.
"This section would limit the use of fiscal year 2019 funds for bilateral military-to-military cooperation between the Government of the United States and the Russian Federation until the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, provides a certification to appropriate congressional committees relating to certain actions by Russia," the document said.
© AP Photo / Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Pool Photo


The document also authorizes the Pentagon chief to "waive the limitation under certain conditions."
Besides, US Congress may enact new sanctions that target contractors of Russian defense companies, according to the bill.
"The section would require the imposition of sanctions with respect to persons providing specified support to Russian industry, with a focus on targeting Russia’s defense industry supply chain, involved with developing or producing major defense equipment or advanced conventional weapons," the bill said.
The sanctions available to the US president would include "denial of sales or defense articles and services; licenses for export of an item on the United States Munitions List; or, exports controlled for national security under the Export Administration Regulations."
The legislation would also contain enhanced sanctions for governments designated by the United States as state sponsors of terrorism that buy such defense equipment from Russia.
The US president would have a right to waive imposition of sanctions in certain circumstances, the bill added.
The US military has almost stopped military cooperation with Russia since 2014 when bilateral relations between two countries deteriorated because of the crisis in Ukraine.
Sputnik