President Biden on Wednesday issued a continuation of a previous executive order that declared a “national emergency” in the U.S. related to the yearlong conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Executive Order 13660 was initially signed by former President Barack Obama in 2014 after Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, but it was expanded over the years with additional executive orders as the conflict between the two states intensified and culminated in the invasion launched by Russia last year.
The orders include certain sanctions related to Russia’s actions in Ukraine with respect to U.S. interests.
In February 2022, just days before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Biden issued another executive order that expanded the “national emergency” scope of the previous orders that were set to expire on March 6. The continuation Biden issued Wednesday will extend the orders for an additional year.
“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 White House said in a press release announcing the continuation.
“For this reason, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660, which was expanded in scope in Executive Order 13661, Executive Order 13662, and Executive Order 14065, and under which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13685 and Executive Order 13849, must continue in effect beyond March 6, 2023,” Biden wrote.
“Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660,” he added.
The continuation comes as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has intensified in recent weeks, with Russian forces, which occupy much of the eastern and southern portions of Ukraine, attempting to advance at multiple points along hundreds of miles of the front line.