Ukraine’s Zelenskiy hires U.S. law firm for sanctions advice

By Jacqueline Thomsen and Mike Scarcella

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office environment has hired an American regulation company to advise on Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion and enable interact with U.S. officers on policy issues, in accordance to a filing with the U.S. Justice Department.

San Francisco-based Morrison & Foerster will counsel Zelenskiy’s office on regulatory issues “including U.S., EU and Uk sanctions regimes,” John Smith, a companion in the business, claimed in the Monday submitting.

Smith led the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Overseas Property Command (OFAC), which oversees American sanctions, right before becoming a member of Morrison & Foerster in 2018. Smith reported in the submitting that Morrison & Foerster will execute the perform at no value to Ukraine.

The United States, European Union and Britain have imposed a sequence of sanctions targeting Russia, its economic institutions, oligarchs and parliament due to the fact Russia invaded Ukraine previous thirty day period. The filing did not make distinct whether there are unique sanctions about which the firm will provide tips.

The firm stated it will aid Zelenskiy interact with U.S. officials on evolving coverage matters, but did not give details.

Smith did not promptly respond to a request for comment.

U.S. legislation requires regulation companies, lobbyists and some others to disclose certain advocacy work for overseas consumers. Morrison & Foerster has not previously registered to symbolize a overseas entity, in accordance to the U.S. Foreign Brokers Registration Act database.

Ukraine’s governing administration has employed at least two other U.S. regulation corporations adhering to the Russian invasion.

Covington & Burling, headquartered in Washington, is representing Ukraine just before the International Courtroom of Justice, obtaining a ruling this month instructing Russia to quit its armed service operations. Lawyers at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, launched in Los Angeles, are representing Ukraine prior to the European Court docket of Human Legal rights in a circumstance accusing Russia of human legal rights abuses.

(Reporting by Jacqueline Thomsen and Mike Scarcella in Washington Modifying by Will Dunham and David Bario)