Biden continues national emergency in U.S. over Russia's aggression against Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden has extended for one year the national emergency in the country over the "unusual and extraordinary threat" to the national security and foreign policy of the United States because of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The White House said this in a press release on Monday, March 4, Ukrinform reports.

"On March 6, 2014, by Executive Order 13660, the President declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) 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 press release reads.

Since then, the U.S. president has issued additional executive orders in 2014 and 2018 that expanded the scope of the national emergency and introduced new waves of sanctions against the Russian Federation. In February 2022, the U.S. president further expanded the powers of executive decrees and sanctions against Russia due to its recognition of the so-called DPR and LPR.

"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," the document reads.

For this reason, the national emergency declared in March 2014 and further expanded in other Executive Orders "must continue in effect beyond March 6, 2024."