More attention should be paid to how sanctions against Russia are being enforced, European Parliament (EP) member Ivars Ijabs (AP) told LETA news agency.
According to him, despite the fact that various US companies, such as Intel, have stopped selling their processors in Russia, their availability in Russia is still significant. This means that ways have been found to supply transformers to Russia through third countries. Ijab noted that a number of sanctions avoidance mechanisms are currently “working” in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The politician stressed that it is necessary to work with the governments of these countries to stop this practice.
When asked about the type of sanctions available to the European Union, the MEP underlined that it is necessary to work towards greater isolation of Russia, for example thinking about how to stop the right to vote and Russia’s presence in the Security Council of Nations Unite, because it sounds comical that the country that most significantly threatens international security participates in the world’s main security institution.
In addition, according to Ijab, work should continue on the so-called “Magnitsky list”, which includes private individuals subject to sanctions. The MEP said that list should be expanded. He noted that currently around 1,400 people have been fined for deliberately committing corruption in Russia with state support. On the other hand, the Anti-Corruption Foundation founded by Russian opposition member Alexei Navalny speaks of a group of decision makers, which can be measured as high as 8,000 people. Also, according to the politician, the “Wagner group” and the Kadyrovites should be subject to sanctions in order for these organizations to be recognized as terrorists.
According to Ijab, the maximum wholesale price of natural gas is still the big issue on the agenda of the European Union. The politician stressed that everything must be done so that the established price ceiling works in the intended direction and “pushes it down.”
Also relevant is the issue of deliveries of nuclear fuel. The politician noted that Russia is a sufficiently large exporter of uranium. It’s a touchy subject because Europe has nuclear power plants that run on Russian fuel. Ijab noted that this could also be one of the potential targets for sanctions. Various types of export and import restrictions should also be established, applying, for example, to dual-use goods and technology.
“We are working to ensure that Russia is isolated internationally, both economically and politically, due to its aggression against Ukraine. Many times we wonder if the damage caused by sanctions to other countries, including European countries, is proportionate. It is always enough painful decision,” said the MEP.
He noted that sanctions do not function as a lever that can be pulled to achieve the desired result. Rather, it is radiation therapy used to fight tumors. According to the politician, we are currently dealing with a tumor that is dangerous for world security… [Krievijas prezidenta Vladimira] Putin’s regime, but radiation therapy also affects healthy cells. Iyab said the hope was that the sanctions would reduce Putin’s ability to continue the war.
Asked whether Russia could last longer in this war than Ukraine with all the help and support it has been given, the politician said he agreed with the premise, but not the conclusion. He admitted that Russia unfortunately has enough capacity to continue the war.
“Until February of this year, we had illusions in the West that Russia was simply a tank of gas. We assumed that as soon as the country’s ability to pump oil and sell it to the West is significantly limited, Putin’s regime will it will feel a blow and even collapse. It turned out to be a rather false thesis, because the Russian economy is built with sufficient resources,” Ijab said.
He also stressed that Russian citizens have historically been used to enduring a significant drop in welfare and tightening their belts without questioning the political leadership in any way. Ijab stressed that Russia has a large domestic market and furthermore the country is not only prosperous in exporting oil and gas. It is still produced in Russia, although it is unable to compete worldwide. Therefore, the possibility of continuing the war in economic terms is considerable.
According to the politician, it is necessary to put pressure on those areas where Russia is still technologically dependent on the West, and there are enough of them, if only in terms of missiles and military equipment. Russia cannot do without Western technology, chips and software, for example.
“That’s why it’s crucial to prevent any circumvention of sanctions, because we can introduce sanctions that look nice on paper or in a newspaper. But then we see that the same product is available in Russia and imported from third countries. They call it parallel import,” he said the MEP.
According to him, expectations that Russian citizens would feel great hardship due to economic problems, turn against the Russian-led war, and overthrow the regime turned out to be false. Therefore, the main task is to help Ukraine with everything possible so that it can regain its territory, independence and statehood on the terms that the Ukrainians themselves will choose. It is equally important to deprive Russia of the possibility of war by cutting off the supply of various technologies and other resources in all possible ways.
“Russia’s defeat on the battlefield could be the moment that would open the eyes of the Russian public to the mess the current regime has brought them to. I think an important landmark in the future will be the liberation of Crimea, because it is clear that with the current dynamics of events, Ukraine could be implemented. I think it will be very painful for the current leadership of Russia,” the politician said.
As reported, in the early morning of February 24, the Russian president gave the order to begin the invasion of Ukraine. Western countries have imposed extensive sanctions on Russia for such actions.
