Is Russia a terrorist state?
On November 23, the European Parliament voted and declared Russia a “state sponsor of terrorism” due to its war in Ukraine. The MEPs voting results for this resolution was 494 votes in favor, 58 against, and 44 abstentions. Additionally, the EU is calling for a war crimes tribunal.
What is the significance of this? What does it mean to be declared a state sponsor of terrorism? Where does the US stand on this decision? Read on for these insights.
The first think that should done is to understand specifically what European Parliament members were voting on. To do that, lets look at what the resolution was about in their own words:
“The deliberate attacks and atrocities carried out by the Russian Federation against the civilian population of Ukraine, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and other serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law amount to acts of terror against the Ukrainian population and constitute war crimes…”
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy even weighed in on the results of the resolution, praising the decision. Zelenskyy agrees with the EU designation, but for more specific reasons that reflect the Ukrainian struggle on the ground. He specifically cited Russian missile attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure as acts of terrorism, a tactic the Russians have adopted more recently in lieu of failures on the ground in Ukraine.
The EU also offered up some specifics as well, specifically the allegations that Russian soldiers have murdered “thousands” of civilians and children. The MEPs claim 40,000 or more war crimes have already been documented in Ukraine.
So regardless of how factual some of these claims are, there is a clear basis for why the MEPs voted the way they did. Let’s look at what being declared a terrorist state really means though.
In the case of the EU, the designation of a nation a terrorist state is somewhat of a new thing. A smaller EU group previously designated Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, but at this scale it is unique.
Previously, the EU was only designating individuals and organizations as terrorists. This was following 9/11 and during the Global War on Terror. For the EU to declare Russia a terrorist state is mostly symbolic. That being said, that gesture is a narrative-crafting one, and this designation will likely carry over in economic deals, peace or ceasefire negotiations, diplomatic missions, or even sanctions within the EU. On an international scale, it is the basis to get other non-European states to classify the Russian Federation with the same designation. Think of this designation as a justification tool for decision-making, a powerplay in soft-power politics.
Some MEPs, like one from Orban’s Fidesz party, believe the parliament should work towards peace and a ceasefire before anything else. There is certainly a split in goals within the European Parliament, whether vocalized on both sides or not.
Lastly, in terms of the United States, the decision to designate Russia a state sponsor of terror is a more delicate decision. US law differs from that of the EU (a distinction I am not knowledgeable enough to write on), but the US has made this designation before; specifically to Iran, Syria, North Korea, and Cuba.
Because such a designation is economically and diplomatically restrictive, it is not necessarily likely that the US will follow the EU with its resolution. For more specific details about what the repercussions are for the designation by America, check out the article below (but ONLY those bulleted details — the US should not blindly make this designation).
The US — believe it or not — has other concerns that are bigger than Ukraine. So isolating Russia further, and breaking down diplomatic relations with Putin, at a time when someone needs to be the champion for peace, is not in America’s strategic interest (even though it might be in the popular mind’s interest).
If you would like to read more about the logic behind that, please read my recent piece, “How to deal with Russia.” In it, I talk about why the US and our partners need to tread carefully in the ensuing months; why Russia needs to be held accountable, but why we also need to consider a type of diplomatic mercy. Read it below:
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