Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba addressed a meeting of the EU Council of Foreign Ministers and called on them to continue increasing sanctions against russia. He also stressed the importance of Ukraine gaining EU candidate status.
This was reported by the Press Service of the Foreign Ministry.
Dmytro Kuleba listed the steps that Ukraine expects from the EU:
- Energy embargo, including embargo on russian oil, gas and coal;
- Financial restrictions - disconnection of all russian and Belarusian banks from SWIFT, blocking the assets of russian state-owned companies abroad, closing their offices and excluding them from all associations and forums, introducing legislation and procedures that will allow the transfer of blocked russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine;
- Trade - an immediate ban on the purchase and trade of any russian goods in the EU internal market (with the reasonable exception of critical imports to minimize problems of Western markets), a ban on ships flying EU flags entering russian seaports, abolition of exceptions to the entry of russian-flagged vessels into EU ports. Ukraine also requests that any banks, insurance companies and other financial companies serving russian exports be shut down immediately under the threat of sanctions; any trading companies, purchasing companies or crew members dealing with russian exports anywhere in the world; any shipbuilding companies or companies that supply technologies or components for ships that are intended for russian consumers; any companies or individuals that promote russian exports. In addition, all sales of goods or services related to technologies that may be used for the russian oil and gas sector should be prohibited;
- Media and communications - it is necessary to introduce a complete ban on russian media in Europe, to ban roaming for russian telecommunications providers in the EU;
- Expansion of individual sanctions - against russian elites and oligarchs, government officials, members of their families, as well as sanctions against enterprises, including the military-industrial complex of the russian federation. Kuleba added that it is important not only to impose new sanctions, but also to ensure compliance with the already imposed restrictions and close all possible loopholes and detours.
The Foreign Minister noted that Ukraine's direct spending on the war averages up to 4-5bn. dollars monthly, while about 3.5bn. per month goes to guarantee the security of our people and overcome the consequences of russian aggression.
"We need at least 5bn. dollars monthly to cover these costs," Kuleba said. He added that Ukraine was interested in organizing a demining process within the framework of EU financial instruments and policies. These are the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the Common Security and Defense Policy, the Eastern Partnership, the European Development Policy and the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Ukraine remains committed to discussing the possibility of establishing a new EU4UA Demining Fund.
Dmytro Kuleba stressed that the war against Ukraine and the rest of Europe will continue as long as Putin believes that Ukraine has no European future.
"Policy of strategic uncertainty of the EU towards Ukraine has failed, and frankly, was one of the reasons that prompted Putin to start this war," Kuleba said, adding that 91% of Ukrainians support European integration.
In his opinion, granting Ukraine candidate status in June will be a strong political step that will firmly consolidate Ukraine in the framework of the European integration project and correct decades of errors of political uncertainty.
"Ukraine's victory will also be your victory. It will be the victory of the future over the forces of the past. Ukraine's victory will allow generations of Europeans to enjoy the benefits of freedom, peaceful life and prosperous, stable development. But now we need decisive action from everyone present in this room to win this future,” Dmytro Kuleba summed up.
EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell said that the meeting of EU foreign ministers on the sixth package of sanctions on Monday could not break the deadlock, because "we have the same difficulties with unanimity". At their meeting, the EU ambassadors were only able to approve financial assistance to Ukraine in the amount of 500m. euros.