539. Section 223(a) of CAATSA states that the “Secretary of the Treasury may determine that a person meets one or more of the criteria in section 1(a) of Executive Order No. 13662 if that person is a state-owned entity operating in the railway or metals and mining sector of the economy of the Russian Federation.” Is OFAC going to impose sanctions on persons operating in those sectors?

Section 223(a) of CAATSA does not require the imposition of sanctions. While sanctions may be imposed on potential targets in any sector of the economy of the Russian Federation in the future, maintaining unity with partners on sanctions implemented with respect to the Russian Federation is important to the U.S. government. The point of the sectoral sanctions is to impose costs on the Russian Federation for its aggression in Ukraine. The United States will continue to work closely with our allies to address unintended consequences arising as a result of such sanctions.