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New Congress Could Push Obama Toward Tougher Action on Ukraine

STATE DEPARTMENT— The Obama administration says sanctions against those backing separatists in eastern Ukraine are having an impact on the Russian economy, but the coming change of legislative power in Washington may affect U.S. policy toward the crisis.

Ukrainian forces fighting Russian-backed separatists are looking for more help from Europe and the United States at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin may see President Barack Obama as weakened by electoral losses, the Atlantic Council’s Robert Manning said.

“We know, for example in the Ukraine, Putin looks like he is trying to strengthen his position in eastern Ukraine and break away Donetsk from the rest of the country, and he might be more encouraged to do that,” Manning said.

Putin faced little criticism on Ukraine at a meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders in Beijing, in part because of what former Putin adviser Andrei Illarianov, now a research fellow at the Cato Institute, called a “tactical pause” in the Russian offensive.

“This is partly the result of elections in the U.S. Congress and partly connected to Putin’s visit to Asia," he said. "It was probably a decision that escalating the conflict would create a bad atmosphere during Putin’s meetings with international leaders. But then after this visit, we will see an escalation.”

Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, who is in line to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been pushing Obama to take a harder line against Moscow. This could help the president, said Keith Darden, an associate professor in the School of International Service at American University in Washington.

"In some ways, it increases President Obama’s leverage in his negotiations with the Russians, to the extent that those exist, because basically there is always a threat that Congress is going to act on its own,” Darden said.

Eric Rubin, deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, said there is broad, bipartisan support for how to move forward on Ukraine.

“The key question is does Ukraine need help rebuilding its military and its national security infrastructure," Rubin said. "The answer is yes. And are we committed to helping them? Yes, we are, very publicly. There has been a significant amount of assistance. There will be more. The question is what, and that is the debate that is going on now.”

In that debate, the installation of new leaders in Ukraine’s breakaway regions could help fuel a Republican drive for stronger U.S. action, including sending weapons.

“If Congress gets involved," Darden said, "not only is it probably going to be more severe, including military aid and maybe some economic aid, it might be more significant sanctions on Russia, and they are much harder to undo.”

Prospects for tougher sanctions will be part of European Union talks in Brussels on Monday, said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

“There will be a discussion there," Mogherini said, "but I would say not just on whether to increase the sanctions but most of all how to support Ukraine in these difficult times — difficult because of security on its territory.”

That security is threatened by troop movements along the Russian border, which German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warns could lead to violent confrontations.

词汇解析

moderate

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

adj.适度的；温和的；稳健的；中等的

v.节制；使 ... 稳定，使 ... 缓和

n.稳健的人

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

The team enjoyed only moderate success last season.

上个赛季，这个球队只取得了中等成绩。

用作动词 (v.)

He moderated his tone when the students burst out in tears.

当这个学生掉下眼泪时，他缓和了他的声音。

用作名词 (n.)

He is a moderate.

他是个稳健的人

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funeral

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adj.葬礼(的)

n.葬礼

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

Their cars headed the funeral procession.

他们的车队在葬礼队伍的最前面。

用作名词 (n.)

They held a state funeral in honour of the statesman.

他们为这位政治家举行了国葬。

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stimulate

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

vt.刺激；激励；鼓舞

vi.起刺激作用

参考例句

用作及物动词 (vt.)

Light stimulates plant growth.

光会刺激植物生长。

I hoped my warning would stimulate her to greater efforts.

我希望我的告诫会促使她作出更大的努力。

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demand

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.要求；需求

v.要求；查问；需要

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The demand for coal begins to slacken off in the spring.

煤的需求在春天开始减少。

用作动词 (v.)

All these questions demand careful and detailed study.

这些都需要认真具体的研究。

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incident

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.事变；事件；插曲

adj.难免的；附带的

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The police are connecting this incident with last week's terrorist bombing.

警方认为这次事件和上周的恐怖分子爆炸事件有关。

用作形容词 (adj.)

There are many evils incident to human society.

人类社会有很多罪恶。

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personnel

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

n.职员；人事部门

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The personnel are not happy to change these rules.

全体工作人员对改变这些规定很不高兴。

For more information about the job, please contact the personnel manager.

要了解更多工作详情,请和人事部经理联系。

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illegal

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

adj.非法的；不合法的

n.非法移民

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

The jewellery firm is just a front for their illegal trade in diamonds.

该珠宝公司不过是进行非法的钻石交易的幌子。

It's illegal to read people's private letters without permission.

未经允许看别人的私人信件是不合法的。

用作名词 (n.)

The illegals couldn't be admitted by the authority.

非法移民是不被政府认可的。

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