Thread by @jimsciutto

To be clear on today's Trump admin sanctions on #Russia for #Skripal poisoning:
- They are mandated under the 1991 Chemical & Biological Weapons Control & Warfare Elimination Act for chemical weapons use.
- WH blew past the law's 60-day deadline by a month.
1/

2/The law mandates a second, more Draconian round of sanctions unless:
-Russia assures the US it is no longer using chemical or biological weapons
-Russia allows onsite inspectors to ensure the government is not using chem/bio weapons

3/ That second round could include:
- Ending flights to US by Russian national carrier Aeroflot
- Banning all/most Russian imports/exports with US
- cutting off diplomatic relations

4/Russia now has 90 days to comply.

**90 days from today is Election Day**

5/ Since virtually no one expects Russia to comply with the law's conditions, in 90 days, the Trump administration will face a very big test of its Russia policy.