Deputy Head of the Office of the President Ihor Zhovkva and Advisor – Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk held a briefing on sanctions against the Russian Federation for the heads and representatives of foreign embassies in Ukraine. The meeting was attended by diplomats from the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, France, Sweden, Japan, and the European Union.
Ihor Zhovkva spoke about the consequences of Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and villages, in particular the shelling of Sumy, which claimed the lives of 35 people. He expressed gratitude for the support provided to Ukraine and all Ukrainian people, as well as for the continued pressure on Russia for the war it unleashed.
“We need assistance in the form of concrete things, such as air defense systems to protect against ballistic missiles and continued sanctions pressure. As long as Russian aggression continues, there must be no easing of sanctions,” the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office noted.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk briefed the diplomats on foreign components found in Russian weapons and the impact of the imposed sanctions on Russia’s capabilities, noting the effectiveness of restrictions targeting the gas and metallurgy sectors, as well as cryptocurrency transactions. He pointed out that sanctions have also been in place against the Russian Federation's shadow tanker fleet, as evidenced by reports of ship detentions. Work in this area will continue.
“The seventeenth package of sanctions is essential to place Russia in a more vulnerable position and increase leverage in negotiations. Limiting Russia's military-industrial potential through sanctions must be part of the plan to strengthen European security,” emphasized the Advisor – Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk also thanked non-governmental organizations for their assistance in this effort. These organizations assess the impact of restrictions on revenues to the Russian budget and defense production capacity, analyze components found in Russian weapons, UAVs, and aircraft, investigate supply chains and access to foreign technologies for the Russian defense industry, and identify loopholes enabling the Russian Federation to circumvent sanctions.
In addition, the briefing addressed the confiscation and use of frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine.