Home ›› 08 Apr 2022 ›› Back
Ukraine stepped up calls on Thursday for financial sanctions crippling enough to force Moscow to end the war as its officials rushed to evacuate civilians from cities and towns in the east before an anticipated major Russian offensive there.
The democratic world must stop buying Russian oil and cut off Russian banks from the international finance system, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, adding that economic concerns should not come above punishment for civilian deaths that Ukraine and many of its Western allies have condemned as war crimes.
“Once and for all, we can teach Russia and any other potential aggressors that those who choose war always lose,” Zelenskiy said in an address to the Greek parliament. “Those who blackmail Europe with economic and energy crisis always lose.”
Washington, which banned Russian oil imports last month, took further steps on Wednesday to isolate Moscow, sanctioning two major lenders and President Vladimir Putin’s two adult daughters, banning US investment in Russia. Washington also called for its expulsion from the Group of 20 major economies.
The European Union’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said during a NATO meeting that the EU’s latest measures, including a ban on Russian coal, initially expected on Wednesday, could be passed on Thursday or Friday and the bloc would discuss an oil embargo next. In a symbolic move, the United Nations General Assembly was set to vote on Thursday on suspending Russia from the UN Human Rights Council.
The pressure to tighten sanctions follows international condemnation of apparent executions of civilians in the streets of Bucha, a town northeast of the capital Kyiv that was recaptured from Russian forces. Moscow has denied targeting civilians and says images of bodies in Bucha were staged to justify more sanctions against Moscow and derail peace talks.
Ukrainian officials say that after withdrawing from the outskirts of Kyiv, Russian forces are now regrouping to gain full control over the eastern breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. The besieged southern port of Mariupol, whose mayor said over 100,000 were still trapped, was also a target.
However, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Thursday he expected NATO members to send Kyiv the weapons it needs but insisted they had to act quickly before Russia launches another major offensive.
