Despite reports from Western media that some EU countries are increasingly defending their own economic interests when discussing new sanctions against Russia, it is premature to talk about a split within the European Union. Ukraine expects the EU to adopt the 21st sanctions package as early as this week, while work on the 22nd package is already underway. This was stated in an exclusive comment to UNN by the Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Sanctions Policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk.
Discussions around sanctions are not a sign of a split
After the publication by the Financial Times that a number of EU countries are demanding exemptions from the 21st sanctions package due to concerns for their own economies, talk of a possible weakening of Europe's sanctions unity has resurfaced.
However, the Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Sanctions Policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, emphasizes: negotiations between EU member states are a common practice, and compromises are always found.
Discussions around the 21st sanctions package do not mean that EU unity is weakening. There is nothing new in the fact that individual countries try to take their own economic interests into account. But it never happens that everyone simultaneously blocks the same thing. At different stages, different states have reservations about certain provisions, but in the end a compromise is always found. That is exactly how the European Union works. To date, the EU has already unanimously adopted 20 sanctions packages against Russia, and the vast majority of provisions of the 21st package have also already been agreed upon
The main dispute – Russian LNG
According to Vlasiuk, in fact only one issue remains open – the transportation of Russian liquefied natural gas, against the restrictions of which Greece is opposed. At the same time, he is convinced that when making the final decision, European countries should proceed primarily from security considerations.
Currently, the only open issue is the transportation of Russian LNG, which is raised by Greece. In my opinion, today we should respect the sacrifice that the Ukrainian people make every day and adopt all decisions in the harshest possible format for Russia. Russia's oil and gas revenues mean financing the war of aggression, new missiles, drones, and the killing of Ukrainians. That is why any exceptions in this area should be assessed primarily through the prism of security, not economic gain
Sanctions have already caused billions in losses to Russia
Despite claims about the supposedly low effectiveness of sanctions, economic indicators show the opposite, notes Vlasiuk. According to him, sanctions pressure does not always yield immediate results, but its effect accumulates and increasingly impacts Russia's ability to finance the war.
If you look at the numbers, sanctions have already produced a very tangible result. Russia's GDP growth slowed from 5.9% in 2021 to approximately 1% or even lower. From a budget surplus of $7 billion, Russia moved to a deficit of about $68 billion. The liquid part of the National Welfare Fund decreased by 63%, and losses in oil export revenues due to sanctions and price caps have already reached about $195 billion. This shows that economic pressure has a cumulative effect and gradually deprives Russia of resources to continue the war
Kyiv does not believe in sanctions 'fatigue'
Vlasiuk also urged not to exaggerate the significance of individual disputes within the EU. According to him, the possibilities for further strengthening sanctions pressure are far from exhausted.
I do not think we should talk about sanctions fatigue. The claim that the European Union is no longer ready to adopt new sanctions decisions is a significant exaggeration. On the contrary, opportunities for further increasing pressure on Russia remain, and we see the readiness of most of our partners to continue this work
Ukraine already expects not only the 21st, but also the 22nd sanctions package
According to Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the EU's sanctions policy does not stop with the current package. In parallel, preparations for the next decisions are already underway.
We expect that the 21st package of sanctions of the European Union will be adopted this week. At the same time, work has already begun in parallel on the 22nd package of sanctions, as well as on individual sanction decisions, in particular regarding the future pseudo-elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine
Sanctions unity is important not only for Ukraine
Vlasiuk emphasized that maintaining EU unity in sanctions policy is of strategic importance not only for Ukraine, but also for Europe itself.
All our partners well understand and share the main goal of sanctions – to deprive Russia of resources to continue the war and bring it to an end. At the same time, for the European Union itself, the ability to maintain sanctions unity is important not only in the context of Russian aggression. This is a matter of its own security, political cohesion, and capacity to respond to future geopolitical challenges
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