PRESS RELEASE : It is very important to develop new packages of sanctions against Russia, as it is a powerful and effective mechanism for influencing the governing regime – Andriy Yermak

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 31 March 2022.

Sanctions are a powerful and effective mechanism for influencing Russia and those who support the ruling regime in the aggressor country. However, sanctions need to be deepened, so a new US package is expected to be announced soon. This was stated by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak in an interview to TV presenter Vadym Karpyak, which was broadcast within the information marathon “United News #UArazom”.

“It is very important to develop new packages of sanctions,” Andriy Yermak stressed.

He said that during the recent conversation between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Joseph Biden, our state received a signal that a new package of sanctions from the United States will be introduced in the coming days.

“We see that US sanctions are very effective today. This is a very powerful tool. It needs to be continued,” said the Head of the President’s Office.

According to him, sanctions will primarily affect Russian politicians, deputies and people who supported the war against Ukraine and on whom this regime is based.

“Certainly, it will be financial sanctions, economic ones,” Andriy Yermak said.

The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine stressed that sanctions should also be imposed on Russian energy sources and the largest banks.

“These sanctions should include an embargo on energy, first of all I’m talking about an embargo on oil exports. If it takes a long time or there are some difficulties, we also said that sanctions should be introduced making it impossible for Russia to receive funds for the sale of oil, and this money could be used in some way in Ukraine’s interests,” Andriy Yermak said.

He clarified that the issue of imposing an energy embargo concerns both gas and oil.

The Head of the Office of the President added that Ukraine is making every effort to ensure that European countries also support the embargo on Russian energy.

“Of course, it is a very complicated issue. We know that some EU countries are ready and they understand that today it is impossible to think of any benefit when children are killed. And it is impossible now to measure money, some income, when it concerns human life,” he said.

At the same time, Andriy Yermak stated that there are countries that still have a different position. But the talks of the President of Ukraine with the leaders of these states, his addresses to the parliaments and nations, the work of Ukrainian diplomats are aimed at changing the attitude in these countries. After all, if the governments of some states are hesitant, they must listen to the opinion of their citizens.

“The nations of the world have already made their choice today – they are all with Ukraine, they are all on the side of good. That is why it is very difficult now for the countries that still continue to “play” and do not have a clear position – today or tomorrow they will answer the questions of their people why they did nothing in eight years and what they did when Ukrainians were killed and when there was war,” said the Head of the Office of the President.

Andriy Yermak also noted that sanctions are a powerful tool, but they need a very deep and rapid analysis. That is why there is an initiative to organize the work of a group of Ukrainian and international experts who will analyze the real impact of the restrictions imposed on Russia. He said that experts will not only study the sanctions already in place – what works and what doesn’t. They will also talk about it publicly.

In addition, the Head of the Office of the President called important the direction of this group’s work to develop mechanisms that would make it impossible to circumvent the restrictions – both for individuals and for countries.