Grassley, Colleagues Press Administration to Impose Sanctions on Milorad Dodik

Grassley, Colleagues Press Administration to Impose Sanctions on Milorad Dodik

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent calling on the Trump administration to impose sanctions on former Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik and his associates, given their ongoing actions to threaten the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"We write with concern regarding the actions, rhetoric and foreign influence operations of former president of the Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and his associates which carry considerable implications for the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina," the lawmakers wrote. "On January 9, 2026, Mr. Dodik, along with current and former Republika Srpska government officials, organized and participated in the Commemoration Ceremony of Republika Srpska Day, despite decisions of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding observance of that Day."

The lawmakers warned Mr. Dodik's continued secessionist rhetoric, coordination with foreign actors and efforts to undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement risk destabilizing the Western Balkans at a critical moment and urged the Trump administration to comply with new sanctions passed in the recent Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). They also noted the administration's prior decision to remove sanctions on Mr. Dodik has emboldened his behavior and undermined U.S. credibility in the region.

"It is clear that Mr. Dodik's recent actions merit sustained and close scrutiny," the lawmakers continued. "From organizing and participating in events deemed unconstitutional by Bosnia and Herzegovina's Constitutional Court to amplifying divisive rhetoric and advocating for Republika Srpska's withdrawal from the Dayton framework, his conduct directly threatens regional stability. His engagement with foreign entities to advance independence further underscores the urgency of a U.S. response."

"Mr. Dodik's ongoing actions, specifically those undertaken through the government of Republika Srpska which direct lobbyists to advance independence, qualify as sanctionable activity under Section 8335 of the NDAA, given that these actions 'threaten the peace, security, stability, or territorial integrity of any area or state in the Western Balkans,'" the lawmakers concluded. "We therefore call on your respective departments to make the respective determinations on the relevant persons, in accordance with the law."

In addition to Grassley and Shaheen, the letter was signed by Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as well as Reps. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) and Ann Wagner (R-Mo.).

Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.

March 27, 2026

The Honorable Scott Bessent

Secretary of the Treasury

United States Department of the Treasury

1500 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20220

The Honorable Marco A. Rubio

Secretary of State

Department of State

2201 C Street N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20520

Dear Secretary Bessent and Secretary Rubio,

We write with concern regarding the actions, rhetoric and foreign influence operations of former president of the Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and his associates which carry considerable implications for the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Given Mr. Dodik's continued conduct aimed at undermining the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we request that you impose sanctions on Mr. Dodik, and any relevant associates, pursuant to the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act, passed into law overwhelmingly as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (P.L. 119-60).

We have repeatedly expressed concern over Mr. Dodik's actions to undermine the foundational framework of the Dayton Peace Agreement-the United States-brokered peace accord that ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and has guided U.S. foreign policy for more than three decades. Mr. Dodik has increasingly made secessionist demands aimed at enhancing Republika Srpska's autonomy and challenged the authority of state-level institutions, including judicial and military bodies, as well as sustained attacks on the Office of the High Representative.

Following the Trump Administration's October 29, 2025, decision to remove prior sanctions on Mr. Dodik and his associates, Mr. Dodik has continued secessionist rhetoric that undermines the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While we recognize that the Trump Administration's decision to remove Mr. Dodik and his associates from financial and visa sanctions may have reflected an attempt to put Bosnia and Herzegovina on a path to greater political stability, Mr. Dodik's subsequent actions have made it clear that he has no interest in pursuing that path. Though Mr. Dodik no longer holds a formal position of authority in the Republika Srpska, he is still widely recognized as the leader of his party, SNSD, and has gone so far as to claim that he is still the rightful President of the Republika Srpska.

It is clear that Mr. Dodik's recent actions merit sustained and close scrutiny. For example:

• On January 9, 2026, Mr. Dodik, along with current and former Republika Srpska government officials, organized and participated in the Commemoration Ceremony of Republika Srpska Day, despite decisions of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding observance of that Day.
• Following his delisting, Mr. Dodik has continued to use his public platform, particularly the social media platform "X" to advocate for policies that threaten the stability and territorial integrity of the Western Balkans. He has called for the right to self-determination for Republika Srpska, advocated for Republika Srpska to leave the Dayton Peace Agreement and has continued divisive rhetoric against Bosnia and Herzegovina's multi-ethnic character.
• On February 5, 2026, during his first visit to the United States following his delisting, Mr. Dodik's public and private statements continued to express policy platforms that undermine U.S. policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ahead of his visit, he called Sarajevo the "enemy of Republika Srpska," claimed the right to self-determination and called for the expulsion of the High Representative.
• A Canadian firm, Dickens & Madson (Canada), Inc., has been contracted by the Government of the Republika Srpska-which Mr. Dodik still exercises significant influence over-with the explicitly stated goal to "secure the support of the United States and obtain independence from Bosnia and Herzegovina," which is in violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
• On November 25, 2025, a Bosnian official who was recently delisted by the United States, Stasa Kosarac, sent the Office of the High Representative a Nazi-era paramilitary SS unite helmet and accused him of being 'the occupier' and claimed that he would soon "leave the country." This episode is part of a sustained pattern of behavior from Mr. Dodik and his associates who have criticized and undermined the authority of the Office of the High Representative.

Section 8335 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year FY2026 (P.L. 119-60; Title XII, Subtitle F) requires the imposition of sanctions on individuals who have "undertaken actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, or territorial integrity of any areas of state in the Western Balkans." The law, which outlines specific criteria, requires the imposition of sanctions no later than 90 days following enactment, which is March 18, 2026.

Mr. Dodik's ongoing actions, specifically those undertaken through the government of Republika Srpska which direct lobbyists to advance independence, qualify as sanctionable activity under Section 8335 of the NDAA, given that these actions "threaten the peace, security, stability, or territorial integrity of any area or state in the Western Balkans." We therefore call on your respective departments to make the respective determinations on the relevant persons, in accordance with the law.

We also request that you review the evidence compiled that justified Mr. Dodik's previous designations under Executive Order 14033 to determine whether Mr. Dodik has seized to engage in acts of corruption under his patronage network.

The United States has played an important role in maintaining peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is in our national security interest to ensure that actors who seek to undermine over thirty years of hard-fought peace are held to account before greater instability ensues. We look forward to your response.

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