US official tasked with imposing Russian sanctions to join Harris campaign as first major hire, Axios reports

Brian Nelson, the U.S. Treasury Department's lead official tasked with imposing and enforcing sanctions against Russia, is preparing to leave the Biden administration to join Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, Axios reported on July 30.

Nelson, who has served as the Treasury Department's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence since 2021, is set join the Harris campaign as the first major hire since President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Kamala Harris.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Nelson has worked with and lobbied international allies to ensure Russian sanctions were being enforced by companies and entities.  

Nelson previously worked as a policy advisor and general counsel at the California Department of Justice while Harris served as attorney general of the state.

The Treasury Department declined to comment on the move, Axios reported. In addition to Russian sanctions, Nelson was also tasked with imposing sanctions on the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, will face off against former President Donald Trump for the presidential election scheduled for Nov. 5.

Although Harris has not commented on the Ukraine war since entering the race, if elected, Harris' policies toward Ukraine would likely remain similar to Biden’s.

At Ukraine's global peace summit in Switzerland in June, Harris represented the U.S. and announced over $1.5 billion in additional support for Ukraine. The summit also marked her sixth meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky

In February 2023, Harris accused Russia of crimes against humanity for its war in Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference, saying the aggressor must be held responsible for their "barbaric" war operations.

Alongside Western allies, the United States implemented unprecedented sanctions against Russia following the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the June Group of Seven (G7) summit in Washington, the U.S. imposed sanctions against another 100 individuals and entities targeting various sectors of Russia's economy.

Ukraine war latest: Kyiv strikes Russian oil depot; 2 Russian bombers hit in earlier attack

Key developments on July 30: * Ukraine hit oil depot in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, General Staff reports * 2 bombers damaged in last week’s attack on airfield in Russia’s Murmansk Oblast, HUR says * US will provide its own weapons for F-16s to be delivered to Ukraine, WSJ reports * Ukraine needs ad…

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk