On Tuesday, another round of peace talks concluded in Saudi Arabia, as the US held separate talks with Ukraine and Russia. The outcomes of the negotiations signal significant concessions to Russia, without Russia meeting any conditions. The US should not bow down to Moscow’s request to lift sanctions, as that will set a dangerous precedent.
Since the start of US-led negotiations, Russia has escalated aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities, bombing residential homes, schools, and hospitals. Eight strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities have been recorded since March 18, when the Kremlin claimed to have ordered a pause in such attacks. This certainly doesn’t resemble a “peace process.” The only sustainable path to lasting peace in Ukraine is to defund and disarm Russian aggression — not to provide Moscow with more resources.
If the US allows Russia to regain resources, it will rebuild its armed forces, restore its economy, and return with a new war in Europe. The Kremlin’s demands to regain access to the SWIFT international payments system and lift other trade restrictions prove that sanctions are hitting Russia hard. Rolling them back while Moscow continues its killing in Ukraine would strip the US of crucial leverage to stop the bloodshed. Now is the worst time to ease the pressure.
On the contrary, Russia’s refusal of the comprehensive ceasefire proposed by the US should have led to an increase in sanctions pressure on the aggressor. We know what needs to be done, and we have all the tools to do it: expand sanctions against Russia’s shadow fleet, enforce price cap measures more rigorously, impose a full ban on Russian LNG in Europe, prohibit the import of refined oil products made from Russian crude, prevent Western companies from operating in Russia and stop the flow of western weapons technology into Russia.
B4Ukraine calls on all G7 members — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States — as well as the EU to maintain and strengthen sanctions against Russia until Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are restored, reparations are paid, and accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity is enforced.