Yahoo Finance Western sanctions against Russia ‘not enough’, says Volodymyr Zelensky
Western sanctions against Russia do not go far enough despite having a “spectacular look”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
In a video address on Thursday, Mr Zelensky welcomed the fresh tranche of sanctions imposed by the US and EU on Russian financial institutions - but urged them to go further.
“New investments in Russia are blocked, restrictions are applied against several systemic banks in Russia, personal sanctions are added, as well as other restrictions,” Mr Zelensky said.
“This package has a spectacular look. But this is not enough.
“It can hardly be called commensurate with the evil that the world saw in Bucha. With the evil that continues in Mariupol, in the shelling of Kharkiv, in Russia’s attempt to launch a new global bloody offensive in Donbas.”
Mr Zelensky called on western leaders to immediately agree on an embargo of Russian oil, complaining that their failure to do so was costing Ukrainians their lives.
"Some politicians are still unable to decide how to limit the flow of petrodollars and oil euros to Russia so as not to put their own economies at risk," Mr Zelensky added.
“The only question is how many more Ukrainian men, how many more Ukrainian women, the Russian military will have time to kill in order for you, certain politicians - and we know who you are - to find some determination.”
The EU has been divided over whether to impose an embargo on Russian oil and gas, with Germany particularly reliant on energy from the country.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said the bloc must wean itself off Russian energy.
Mr Zelensky’s warning came amid mounting evidence of war crimes in the Kyiv region, where Vladimir Putin’s forces have withdrawn.
Harrowing images published over the weekend showed tied bodies shot at close range in Bucha, while a mass grave stuffed with corpses was also uncovered by Ukrainian forces.
Elsewhere, Mr Putin’s daughters were sanctioned by the US on Wednesday in response to the killings in Bucha.
“We’re going to keep raising the economic costs and ratchet up the pain for Putin, and further increase Russia’s economic isolation,” US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday.
The new sanctions include a ban on Americans from investing in Russia.
