VOA慢速英语:Will Sanctions Against Russia Work?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law for Russia to officially take control of the Crimean peninsula. The signing ceremony took place on Friday after the upper house of Russia's parliament voted to make Crimea a part of Russia. The lower house approved the deal on Thursday, just four days after Crimean voters decided to leave Ukraine and join Russia.
俄罗斯总统普京签署允许俄罗斯正式接管克里米亚半岛的法律。签字仪式于周五俄罗斯议会上院投票决定接受克里米亚作为俄罗斯一部分之后进行。俄罗斯议会下院已于周四批准该协议，这距离克里米亚决定脱离乌克兰加并入俄罗斯仅有四天。

Local officials in Crimea called a special election on the area's future after Ukrainian lawmakers voted to oust President Viktor Yanukovych. The reported election results were one-sided. Ninety-seven percent of those marking ballots chose to join Russia. Crimean officials announced that over 80 percent of everyone permitted to vote took part in the referendum.
克里米亚当地官员在乌克兰国会议员投票推翻亚努科维奇总统后要求就该地区的未来举行一次所谓的特别投票。这次投票结果是一边倒的。97%的选民投票选择加入俄罗斯。克里米亚官员宣布，超过80%有资格的选民参加了公投。

The Russian president said the vote met international and democratic values for fairness. But many observers questioned the results. Robert Legvold is with Columbia University in New York City.
俄罗斯总统表示，这次投票符合公平的国际民主价值观。但许多观察家质疑该结果。Robert Legvold就职于纽约市的哥伦比亚大学。

"If it was an honest vote and all groups had participated, I would have thought rather than an overwhelming vote, it would have been something like 52 to 53 percent, given the percentage makeup of the groups in Crimea. The fact that it's 97-point-whatever and they report a turnout of 83 percent, creates some suspicion that it wasn't just the shadow of the Russian military presence, but maybe even some manipulation."
“如果这是一次真实的投票，所有群体都有参与，我本以为是非压倒性的投票。考虑到克里米亚各族的构成比例，投票结果会是52%或53%之类的。而实际上投票结果是97%，同时他们称投票率是83%，这让人产生怀疑，这不仅仅是俄罗斯军事存在的阴影，甚至有一些暗箱操作。”

Matthew Rojansky works for the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. He thinks the pro-Russian officials in Crimea held the referendum because they expected the results.
Matthew Rojansky就职于华盛顿伍德罗•威尔逊国际学者中心。他认为克里米亚的亲俄官员举行全民公决，是因为他们预料到这一结果。

"My sense is this was a product of the times in which there has been a real build-up of fear mongering and the overt pressure of armed men. There is nothing quite like a gun in your face."
“我认为这是当前恐慌不断累积和武装人员公开施压这一特定时期的产物，没什么比得上用枪指着你的脸。”

The United States and the European Union have described the referendum in Crimea as illegal and in violation of Ukraine's constitution. US and EU officials reacted quickly. They ordered travel bans and financial restrictions on 28 Russian officials and four Ukrainians. US officials have described those targeted as President Putin's "cronies."
美国和欧盟都称克里米亚公投是非法的，违反了乌克兰宪法。美国和欧盟官员迅速作出反应。他们下令对28位俄罗斯官员及4位乌克兰人采取旅行禁令和金融限制。美国官员称那些人是普京总统的“亲信”。

Matthew Rojansky says that, for over a year, Mr. Putin urged top Russian officials to sell their international holdings and bring their wealth back to Russia.
Matthew Rojansky说，一年多来，普京先生督促俄罗斯高级官员出售其国际财产，并将他们的财富带回俄罗斯。

"Anybody who has complied with him is sitting pretty and doesn't have to worry about the international sanctions, and anyone who didn't - well, it's their problem; he can cut them loose."
“那些一直听从普京的人都可以稳坐钓鱼台而不必担心国际制裁。而不听从普京的人 -- 好吧，这是他们自己的问题，普京可以抛弃他们。”

He also believes the current sanctions are not strong enough.
他还认为目前的制裁措施不够强大。

"I don't think Putin believes us. I don't think he thinks we actually have the guts to impose really biting sanctions on, for example, the energy sector. I think he just distrusts our resolve because we haven't made it clear that we are willing to pay the pain on our side."
“我不认为普京相信我们。我不认为他觉得我们实际有胆量去施加真正严厉的制裁，例如在能源领域。我认为他不相信我们的决心，因为我们害没有明确表明我们愿意付出自己的代价。”

Robert Legvold of Columbia University believes stronger sanctions could hurt the world economy.
哥伦比亚大学的Robert Legvold认为更严厉的制裁可能会伤及全球经济。

"Every step that escalates the penalty or the punishment also escalates the cost to those inflicting them, imposing the sanctions."
“扩大制裁的每一步都会导致制裁方损失的升级。”

On Thursday, President Obama announced additional sanctions on Russian individuals and one bank. Russia reacted to the announcement by ordering entry bans on nine US lawmakers and officials. The following day, Ukraine's acting prime minister signed a political association agreement with the EU.
周四，美国总统奥巴马宣布了对俄罗斯个人和一家银行的实施更多制裁。俄罗斯下达对9名美国国会和政府官员的入境禁令作为回应。次日，乌克兰代理总统签署了一份与同欧盟政治关联协议。

Observers say it will be very difficult to change what has happened in Crimea. Experts also say it will be interesting to see how far the United States and its Western allies are willing to go to punish Russia for its actions.
观察家称，想要改变克里米亚的现状将非常困难。专家也说，看看美国及其西方盟友愿意在多大程度上去惩罚俄罗斯的行为，将是一件有趣的事情。