"Architect" of anti-Russian sanctions returns to White House

A key architect of the Biden administration's economic sanctions on Russia is rejoining the White House, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Daleep Singh's return as the deputy national security adviser for international economics will allow him to pick up where he left off in April of 2022 — looking for innovative ways to punish Russia and help support Ukraine.

• With a $95 billion foreign aid package stuck in Congress, Biden officials are exploring how they can help Ukraine without Congressional authorization.
• One idea that is gaining currency is to use Russia's frozen sovereign assets, which are mostly held in Europe, as collateral for loans to Ukraine.
• Belgium has recently floated this idea to G7 countries, but Singh wrote about it back in December of 2022 in Barron's.

Driving the news: Singh, who served in the Treasury Department in the Obama administration, will take over from Mike Pyle, who is leaving at the end of the month.

• Singh has been working as the chief economist for PGIM Fixed Income.

The bottom line: The position, which reports to both the NSC and the National Economic Council, is one of the most important in the White House.

• As part of the portfolio, Singh will help coordinate the U.S. position at both the G7 and G20 summits.
• This year the G7 leaders will meet in June in Italy. The G20 summit is scheduled to occur in Brazil in November. after the U.S. presidential election.