Ukrainian President Suggests Developing Sanction Package to Deter Russian Aggression

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a statement during the 58th Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 19, 2022. Ronald Wittek - Pool/Getty Images

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, on Saturday called for a sanction list to deter potential Russian aggression.

“Develop an effective package of preventive sanctions to deter aggression. Guarantee Ukraine’s energy security, ensure its integration into the EU energy market when Nord Stream 2 is used as a weapon,” he said in his speech at the 58th Munich Security Conference.

He told CNN that he disagreed with the idea that sanctions should only be listed after an invasion.

“We don’t need your sanctions after the bombardment will happen and after our country will be fired at or after we will have no borders, or after we will have no economy … Why would we need those sanctions then?” he said.

Boris Johnson (R) met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Feb. 19, 2022. Matt Dunham/PA

Tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border have been escalating in recent weeks after Russia moved more than 100,000 troops and heavy weapons within striking distance of Ukraine.

The United States and other Ukrainian allies vowed to sanction Russia if the latter invades Ukraine.

G-7 foreign ministers reaffirmed Saturday that Russia would be faced with economic and financial sanctions.

“While we are ready to explore diplomatic solutions to address legitimate security concerns, Russia should be in no doubt that any further military aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences, including financial and economic sanctions on a wide array of sectoral and individual targets that would impose severe and unprecedented costs on the Russian economy. We will take coordinated restrictive measures in case of such an event,” read the statement.

Zelensky also showed frustration about the progress of Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

“We are told: the door is open. But so far authorized access only. If not all members of the Alliance want to see us or all members of the Alliance do not want to see us, be honest. Open doors are good, but we need open answers, not open questions for years,” he stated.

Ukraine’s seeking of membership in NATO has become the main dispute amid the tension at the Ukraine-Russia border.

Then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a constitutional amendment back in February 2019 committing the country to becoming a member of NATO and the European Union after the parliament passed the bill.

Zelensky reaffirmed recently that joining NATO is still the goal of his country.

“There is no signal from us that NATO membership is not our goal,” he told reporters after he met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Kyiv.

A U.S. Air Force transport plane transporting military equipment and troops lands at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport in southeastern Poland, on Feb. 6, 2022. Tensions between the NATO military alliance and Russia are intensifying due to Russia's move of tens of thousands of troops as well as heavy weapons to the Ukrainian border. Janek Skarzynski/AFP via Getty Images

On the Russian side, the Kremlin declined to deescalate tensions with Ukraine, saying the United States and NATO failed to address fundamental security concerns of Moscow: that NATO stops its eastward expansion and that strike weapons not be deployed near Russian borders, according to a statement obtained by Russian State Media TASS.

“It was emphasized that these issues would be central in our assessment of the documents received from the U.S. and NATO, which would be brought to the notice of our colleagues,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reportedly told Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a call on Saturday.

Washington and NATO have an open mind about Ukraine joining NATO.

“From our perspective, I can’t be more clear—NATO’s door is open, remains open, and that is our commitment,” Blinken said in late January, though he renewed an offer of “reciprocal” measures to address mutual security concerns between Russia and NATO, including missile reductions in Europe.