OREANDA-NEWS. President Petro Poroshenko welcomed the decision of the EU Council to prolong individual sanctions for violation of territorial integrity of Ukraine for yet another term and urged the EU to adjust timetable of reviewing its sanctions regime with Russia.       

“We have to stay in solidarity with each other and work in unison so that not to give the aggressor a tiny chance to disunite our ranks. The EU might adjust timetable of reviewing its sanctions regime with Russia and switch from semiannual to annual cycle,” the President said at the 13th Yalta European Strategy Annual Meeting (YES) “The World, Europe and Ukraine: storms of changes”. The Head of State explained that frequent returns to the discussion of continuation of sanctions caused escalation of the conflict and hundreds of casualties.

“The key purpose is to ensure that the price of temporary occupation would rise. So as to keep illegally usurped in the hands, in reality – cynically stolen, would be as unbearably painful for the aggressor as holding the Donbas inflamed coal,” Petro Poroshenko said. 

According to the President, it is necessary not only to prolong sanctions, but also introduce new ones. For they are the only way to keep the aggressor at the negotiating table and force to finally leave the territory of Ukraine.

“It is necessary to introduce additional sectoral sanctions. We will not achieve anything without sanctions! We do not have NATO soldiers. We defend ourselves with our own weapons. Sanctions is the only mechanism to keep Putin at the negotiating table. And we count on that. For when we are speaking of sanctions, it concerns not only the Minsk agreements,” Petro Poroshenko emphasized.

“And in view of this, an updated version of Jackson-Vanik amendment would not go amiss. I was the man who asked the U.S. Congress to lift the Jackson-Vanik amendment regarding Ukraine. And now it is time to impose it on Russia,” the President noted adding that not only certain individuals must bear responsibility for sufferings of Ukrainians, but also the entire regime.

“Moscow has to realize that the price of such violations will only increase,” he added.