World War 3: Russia ‘NOT SEEKING PEACE’ with Ukraine as it sanctions top public figures
RUSSIA has introduced fresh financial sanctions for top Ukrainian politicians and business people in a move that shows they are “not really seeking a settlement”, according to a senior fellow on the Atlantic Council.
Russia imposes sanctions on Ukrainian politicians says reporter
The sanctions have affected 322 Ukrainians and 68 companies linked to high-profile public figures.
The academic, Ariel Cohen, said: “Russia and Ukraine are continuing their tit-for-tat military and economic warfare."
He added: “If the Russians are thinking that these measures are going to influence Ukrainian Presidential elections in arch and help pro-Russian candidates, they do not understand how Ukrainians act and think and they will be shooting themselves in the foot.
“This action demonstrates that Moscow is not really seeking a settlement in Ukraine.”
The two countries have been embattled since Moscow supported a pro-Russian separatist uprising in the eastern Ukrainian region of the Donbas 2014, where armed conflict remains to this day.
Ukraine has also sanctioned certain Russian individuals due to the annexation of the Crimean peninsula the same year.
Both countries claim they wish to de-escalate the situation and reach an agreement, but Russia’s latest actions indicate otherwise.
Mr Cohen said: “The Russians are selected high-profile Ukrainians from the government and business to impost as much hurt as possible, including some people who are not anti-Russian, such as the oligarch Victor Pinchuk.
“These are very reasonable people who would love to see a settlement with Russia."
He added: “Of course, these sanctions also are targeting presidential candidates such as Yulia Tymoshenko who does have the potential to settle the conflict with Russia.
“So this is a self-defeating move by Russia.”
According to the Russian state website, the sanctions are designed to “counter Ukraine’s unfriendly activities toward Russian citizens and entirites, and normalise bilateral relations”.
However, former US ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst said: “I think they’ve done this order to ratchet up the pressure on Ukraine to get them to submit to the Kremlin’s will.”
One of those sanctioned is the son of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko himself, causing his father to liken it to getting “an award”.
Also included on list wa Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, Deputy Prime Minister Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze and former Prime Minister Arseniy Tatsenyuk.