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They assess that his actions, including inciting Republika Srpska to leave the Dayton Agreement, directly endanger regional stability.
US Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Chuck Grassley, Roger Wicker, Dick Durbin, Thom Tillis and Elizabeth Warren, along with Congressmen Mike Turner and Ann Wagner, have sent a letter to Secretary of State Mark Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, calling on the administration to impose sanctions on former President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, and his associates, due to, as they emphasize, ongoing activities that violate the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The lawmakers warn that Dodik's secessionist rhetoric, coordination with foreign actors, and efforts to undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement pose a risk of destabilizing the Western Balkans at a sensitive time. They also urge the administration to implement new sanctions provided for in the Defense Budget Act for fiscal year 2026, as published on the website of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The letter notes that the administration's previous decision to lift sanctions against Dodik has further encouraged his behavior and damaged the United States' credibility in the region.
"We are addressing you with concern due to the actions, rhetoric and foreign influence operations of the former President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, and his associates, which have serious implications for the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina," the letter states.
Lawmakers recall that Dodik participated in the celebration of the Day of Republika Srpska on January 9, 2026, despite the decisions of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
They emphasize that Dodik's actions, including efforts to withdraw Republika Srpska from the Dayton framework and incite divisions, directly endanger regional stability, and point to his contacts with foreign actors aimed at promoting independence.
According to them, the activities of the Republika Srpska authorities, including the engagement of lobbyists to secure support for independence, may be considered grounds for imposing sanctions in accordance with the relevant provisions of the US Defense Security Cooperation Act, which provides for measures against individuals who endanger peace and stability in the Western Balkans.
Lawmakers are also asking the administration to review evidence that previously led to sanctions against Dodik, including suspicions of corruption.
"It is in the national security interest of the United States that actors who seek to undermine more than three decades of hard-won peace be held accountable before greater destabilization occurs," the letter states.
Dodik was sanctioned by the US during the Biden administration, but in October 2025, the Trump administration removed him from the “blacklist,” while Dodik stepped down from his positions. Former President of Republika Srpska, Dodik, and 48 individuals and companies were removed from the US Treasury Department’s blacklist on October 29. / Pamphlet /
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