VOA慢速英語:對俄羅斯實施制裁措施有用嗎？
From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law for Russia to officially take control of the Crimean peninsula. The signing ceremony took place on Friday after the upper house of Russia’s parliament voted to make Crimea a part of Russia. The lower house approved the deal on Thursday, just four days after Crimean voters decided to leave Ukraine and join Russia.
Local officials in Crimea called a special election on the area’s future after Ukrainian lawmakers voted to oustPresident Viktor Yanukovych. The reported electionresults were one-sided. Ninety-seven percent of thosemarking ballots chose to join Russia. Crimean officialsannounced that over 80 percent of everyone permitted to vote took part in thereferendum.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares to sign a law on ratification of a treaty making Crimea part of Russia, March 21, 2014. |
The Russian president said the vote met international and democratic valuesfor fairness. But many observers questioned the results. Robert Legvold iswith Columbia University in New York City.
"If it was an honest vote and all groups had participated, I would have thoughtrather than an overwhelming vote, it would have been something like 52 to 53percent, given the percentage makeup of the groups in Crimea. The fact that it’s 97-point-whatever and they report a turnout of 83 percent, creates somesuspicion that it wasn’t just the shadow of the Russian military presence, butmaybe even some manipulation.”
Matthew Rojansky works for the Woodrow Wilson International Center forScholars in Washington. He thinks the pro-Russian officials in Crimea heldthe referendum because they expected the results.
“My sense is this was a product of the times in which there has been a realbuild-up of fear mongering and the overt pressure of armed men. There isnothing quite like a gun in your face.”
West Rejects Crimean Vote
The United States and the European Union have described the referendum inCrimea as illegal and in violation of Ukraine’s constitution. US and EU officialsreacted quickly. They ordered travel bans and financial restrictions on 28Russian officials and four Ukrainians. US officials have described thosetargeted as President Putin’s “cronies.”
Matthew Rojansky says that, for over a year, Mr. Putin urged top Russianofficials to sell their international holdings and bring their wealth back toRussia.
“Anybody who has complied with him is sitting pretty and doesn’t have toworry about the international sanctions, and anyone who didn’t - well, it’s theirproblem; he can cut them loose.”
Sanctions Not Strong Enough
He also believes the current sanctions are not strong enough.
“I don’t think Putin believes us. I don’t think he thinks we actually have the gutsto impose really biting sanctions on, for example, the energy sector. I think hejust distrusts our resolve because we haven’t made it clear that we are willingto pay the pain on our side.”
Robert Legvold of Columbia University believes stronger sanctions could hurtthe world economy.
“Every step that escalates the penalty or the punishment also escalates thecost to those inflicting them, imposing the sanctions.”
On Thursday, President Obama announced additional sanctions on Russianindividuals and one bank. Russia reacted to the announcement by orderingentry bans on nine US lawmakers and officials. The following day, Ukraine’sacting prime minister signed a political association agreement with the EU.
Observers say it will be very difficult to change what has happened in Crimea. Experts also say it will be interesting to see how far the United States and itsWestern allies are willing to go to punish Russia for its actions.
And that’s In The News from VOA Learning English. I’m Steve Ember.
***For the latest information on this story, go to VOANews.com.
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