The Trump administration is taking Russia’s side in a World Trade Organization (WTO) case against Ukraine, Politico reported on Monday.
The case stems from transit restrictions that the Russian government imposed on Ukraine that cut off key markets in Central Asia in January 2016, according to the news outlet, which noted that Ukrainian exporters can only reach those key markets by Russian roads.
Moscow’s move came amid tensions between both countries after Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in an occupation of the peninsula and conducted a referendum under the massive presence of Russian soldiers to annex Crimea to Russia within weeks.
Though the United States reportedly backs the Ukraine government in the larger conflict, the Trump administration and the Russian government both agree the WTO has no right to interfere in the case Ukraine brought against Moscow’s transit restrictions, according to Politico.
The news outlet reported that Moscow is justifying the restriction under the terms of Article 21 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which allows countries to violate their commitments to the WTO over national security purposes.
The Trump administration argues that “the dispute involving essential security is political in nature and, therefore, beyond the proper authority and competency of the WTO to assess,” according to Politico.
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Trump admin takes Russia’s side in World Trade Organization case against Ukraine: https://t.co/PzDSbJZ0RD pic.twitter.com/yApVKD5p4B
— The Hill (@thehill) July 31, 2018
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