Biden’s Russia sanctions coordinator to take leave of absence

Daleep Singh, the White House official who has spearheaded U.S. sanctions against Russia, plans to take a leave of absence, according to a person familiar with the matter. 

The leave is for family reasons, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a private matter. The person offered no further detail. Singh serves as President Joe Biden’s deputy national security advisor for international economics.

The departure leaves Biden temporarily without a senior aide to serve as the chief architect of U.S. sanctions on Russia, designed to punish the country for its brazen invasion of Ukraine. 

Biden has relied on the sanctions as a key plank of the U.S. response, as he steadfastly rules out sending American troops into Ukraine—a move he says would risk triggering a new world war.

Instead, Biden has sanctioned Russian entities, banned the import of some Russian fuels and goods, and funneled cash and arms to Ukraine to buoy its defense.

Biden has continued to ratchet up sanctions and clamp down on efforts to evade them. The sanctions “over time—and we’re beginning to see it—are devastating their economy and their ability to move forward,” Biden said last week.

Before joining the White House, Singh served as markets chief for the New York Federal Reserve, and worked previously in the Obama administration. The Washington Post first reported Singh’s plans.