U.S. policy on Syria has toughened over the last few days to include measures to thwart the transfer of Russian military hardware, including attack helicopters, to the Syrian regime. Over the weekend, the United States requested the British government to intercede in this matter by pressuring UK-based insurer, the Standard Club, to terminate its insurance agreement covering a Russian-operated cargo ship, the MV Alaed, that Washington believes is transporting Russian weapons to Syria. British officials are also calling for Vladimir Lisin, a billionaire and high-ranking Russian Olympic delegate linked to Russian arms transfers to Syria, to be barred from attending the London summer Olympics.