Ukraine鈥檚 Zelensky says tougher Russian sanctions needed quickly

By: 3 years ago

Ukraine鈥檚 President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses the Ukrainian people, as Russia?s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine March 28, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday urged Western nations to toughen sanctions quickly against Russia, including an oil embargo, to stop Moscow having a free hand to escalate its measures against his country.

In his nightly video address to Ukrainians, a clearly irritated Zelensky said the West had miscalculated last year in delaying sanctions and the invasion had followed.

鈥淎 full-scale war has begun. Now there are many hints and warnings that supposedly tougher sanctions, such as an embargo on Russian oil supplies to Europe, will be put in place if Russia uses chemical weapons,鈥� Zelensky said, occasionally banging his hands on a table.

鈥淭here are simply no words 鈥� We, people who are alive, have to wait. Doesn鈥檛 everything the Russia military has done to date warrant an oil embargo? Don鈥檛 phosphorous bombs warrant it? A shelled chemical production facility or a shelled nuclear power plant doesn鈥檛 warrant it?鈥�

Russia鈥檚 month-old invasion of Ukraine, the biggest European conflict since World War Two, has seen over 3.8 million Ukrainians flee abroad, left thousands dead or injured and isolated Russia鈥檚 economy.

Zelensky said sanctions had to be 鈥渆ffective and serious鈥� given Russia鈥檚 actions to date.

鈥淚f the sanctions packages are weak or do not work strongly enough, if they can be circumvented, it creates a dangerous illusion for the Russian leadership, as if they will be permitted to continue doing what they are doing now,鈥� he said.

鈥淯krainians are paying for this with their lives. Thousands of lives.鈥�

The United States has already introduced an embargo on Russian oil shipments. But Europe, far more dependent on Russian energy, has been more hesitant. Germany, Europe鈥檚 largest economy, has said introducing such an embargo would trigger recession and mass unemployment.

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