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PLEASE NOTE:  “Answers” emails resume Tuesday, September 2nd.  
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Please note that the “Daily News Article” generally focuses on national news. However, in an attempt to give you an overview of some major world events that impact the U.S., we are posting a few world articles this week in this “Daily News Article” category. (Also, check out “Background” and “Resources” below the questions each day.)

1. Answer the following about Ukraine. [Find the answers at the CIA World FactBook website. For each country, answers can be found under the "Geography" "People" and "Government" headings.
a) What is the capital of Ukraine?
b) Name the president and the prime minster.
c) What type of government does Ukraine have?
d) What is the population?
b) Location/the countries that share its borders
c) The religious breakdown of the population

2. When did Ukraine gain independence from the Soviet Union?

3. What accusations have Ukrainian officials and the West made against the Russian government’s involvement with rebels and incursions into Ukraine?

4. How has the Russian government responded to these accusations?

5. What might Russia’s motive be for its involvement in this region?

6. How did the U.S., EU and NATO react to Russia’s dispatch on Friday of over 200 trucks into Ukraine (claimed by Russia to be relief/aide supplies)?

7. After Russia took over Ukraine’s Crimea region in March, the Obama administration imposed sanctions on some Russian leaders.  Sanctions are actions that are taken to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.*  U.S. officials said that, among the sanctioned individuals were the “key ideologists and architects” of Russia’s Ukraine policy. According to ABC News “The sanctions freeze any assets under American jurisdiction and prevent American banks from doing business with the named individual, essentially freezing them out of the international banking system. The sanctions also impose a ban on their travel to the United States.” At least two Russian officials sanctioned laughed at the sanctions. Russian President Putin appears to be ignoring U.S. (and EU) sanctions. (Current sanctions have not yet moved Russia to stop meddling in Ukraine.)
What should the Obama administration’s next move be? Explain your answer.

• impose stronger U.S. sanctions
• persuade more countries to sanction Russia
• propose some sort of UN resolution against Russia
• provide Ukraine’s military with weapons/equipment/training…
• all/or none of the above

*Possible sanctions on a country or individuals include:

• an arms embargo (ban on weapons, protective attire, military vehicles, etc.);
• an embargo on the import and/or export of certain goods, software and technology. For example, equipment needed to develop missiles or atomic weapons. Embargos can also cover goods that generate money for a country's leaders, like oil or timber;
• an additional permit requirement for sensitive goods, software and technology, which could be used in arms programmes;
• restrictions on loans and credit for certain people/companies;
• freezing the assets of certain people/companies;
• travel and visa restrictions (visa bans) for certain people. (from the Netherlands government website)

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