US – President continues national emergency with respect to Ukraine

On March 5, 2015, the Federal Register published Presidential Notice of March 3, 2015 – Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Ukraine which extends for an additional year the national emergency first declared on March 6, 2014, by Executive Order (EO) 13660, to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of persons that undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets.

The scope of the national emergency was expanded by EO 13661 on March 16, 2014, which found that the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation with respect to Ukraine undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets.

The scope was further expanded by EO 13662 on March 20, 2014, which found that the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation, including its purported annexation of Crimea and its use of force in Ukraine, continue to undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets. EO 13685 of December 19, 2014, was issued to take additional steps to address the Russian occupation of the Crimea region of Ukraine.

The national emergency is being extended for an additional year because the actions and policies addressed in these Executive Orders continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.