Yermak calls for more sanctions pressure on Russia

The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, has called on the EU countries take more active steps, including in the introduction of economic sanctions against Russia.

He said this at a joint meeting of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs and Subcommittee on Security and Defense, which was devoted to the consideration of the Kyiv Security Compact.

Yermak presented his position via video link, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The Kremlin wants to take revenge for the defeats it suffered this year. It is trying to win at any cost, as Putin has directly stated. In this situation, the expectation is false. The response is no longer enough, we have to be one step ahead. There is a need to increase sanctions pressure. A 3.5 percent drop in Russia's GDP is not enough to force Russia to stop the war. We will be grateful to the European Parliament for supporting the adoption of the tenth package of sanctions," Yermak said.

He said that the Kremlin is preparing a new strategic offensive and started another wave of mobilization. Russian generals will again send Russian troops to assault Ukrainian cities, as they did at Bakhmut. Their method of fighting has remained unchanged since the First World War - to pelt the enemy's positions with cannon fodder.

"In Russia, human life has never been valued, and soldiers are considered expendable there. But everyone should understand that anti-war protests will not start in Russia. Propaganda is still powerful there. The living conditions in a Russian province are so dark that the 'Ministry of Aggression' and the 'Wagner Company' have no shortage of recruits, despite the prospect of ending up in plastic bags. [...] That is why sanctions against Russian propagandists should also be strengthened, so that the TV does not get a victory over the fridge again," Yermak said.

Read also: Yermak on F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine: “positive signals” from Poland

He noted that in these conditions, an urgent task for the partner countries is to supply Ukraine with a wide range of weapons. These weapons are needed today, and they will be needed tomorrow in the right amount. To fulfill this mission, according to Yermak, the European defense sector must be rebuilt, to which, with the permission of the partners, Ukrainian enterprises can also be integrated.

"Let's be clear - time is not on our side at the moment. The longer the war lasts, the more resources it will need, the more lives it will take, and the more damage it will cause to the planet. That is why we must deal a decisive defeat to this imperial regime. Ukraine must fully restore its integrity and sovereignty within internationally recognized borders. For us, this is a prerequisite for a just peace," Yermak said.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine