President Biden will not designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, despite pleas from Ukraine’s government that he do so, because such an action could set back humanitarian efforts and potential peace negotiations, the White House said on Tuesday.
“This designation could have unintended consequences to Ukraine and the world,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, told reporters in a daily briefing. She spoke a day after Mr. Biden, in response to a reporter’s question, said that he would not add Russia to America’s list of terrorism sponsors.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, the country’s Parliament and other senior officials have urged the Biden administration to do so, a move that would trigger harsh new U.S. sanctions and place Russia in an official category currently occupied by only Iran, North Korea and Cuba.
Top Biden administration officials, including Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, have expressed skepticism about the idea for months. Russian officials have suggested that the action, which its supporters say is warranted by Russia’s brutal military tactics in civilian areas of Ukraine, would rupture what remains of U.S.-Russian relations.
Ms. Jean-Pierre said the move could jeopardize the Western delivery of humanitarian assistance to some areas of Ukraine, and might complicate an agreement with Russia to ensure that food supplies can be shipped from once-blockaded Ukrainian ports.
“It would also undercut our unprecedented multilateral condition that has been so effective at holding Putin accountable,” she added, referring to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, “and could also undermine our ability to support Ukraine at the negotiation table.”
