On March 5, 2018, the Federal Register published one year extensions to the following national emergencies because actions and policies addressed in the Executive Orders (EO) in which they were original declared or modified continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.
- Notice of March 2, 2018 – Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Ukraine, originally declared in EO 13660 (March 6, 2014) 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 national emergency was expanded in EO 13661 (March 16, 2014), EO 13662 (March 20, 2014) and EO 13685 (December 19, 2014) due to actions of the Russian government’s actions, including the purported annexation and occupation of Crimea and its use of force in Ukraine;
- Notice of March 2, 2018 – Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Venezuela, originally declared in EO 13692 (March 8, 2015) based on the Government of Venezuela’s erosion of human rights guarantees, persecution of political opponents, curtailment of press freedoms, use of violence and human rights violations and abuses in response to antigovernment protests, and arbitrary arrest and detention of antigovernment protestors, as well as the exacerbating presence of significant government corruption. Additional steps were taken in EO 13808 (August 24, 2017) in light of the actions and policies of the Government of Venezuela, including serious abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms; responsibility for the deepening humanitarian crisis in Venezuela; establishment of an illegitimate Constituent Assembly, which usurped the power of the democratically elected National Assembly and other branches of the Government of Venezuela; rampant public corruption; and ongoing repression and persecution of, and violence toward, the political opposition; and
- Notice of March 2, 2018 – Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Zimbabwe, originally declared in EO 13288 (March 6, 2003), which blocked the property of certain persons, to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Zimbabwe and other persons to undermine Zimbabwe’s democratic processes or institutions. Additional persons were added by EO 13391 (Nov. 22, 2005) and the scope was expanded by EO 13469 (July 25, 2008).
