In his column for Newsweek magazine, Petro Poroshenko called on Western partners to introduce such sanctions against Russia that would ultimately undermine its economy and destroy the foundations of Putin’s regime.
“The formula for Ukraine’s victory is simple: arms supplies, economic sanctions against Russia, assistance in strengthening Ukraine’s stability, deputinization of Russia and Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and NATO,” writes Poroshenko.
He emphasizes: money is the fuel that feeds Russia’s deadly military machine, which continues to kill Ukrainians.
“To stop this machine, military actions are not enough. There must be powerful financial shocks – a real economic crisis – and even social upheavals,” writes the fifth President.
“The new restrictions on Russian oil and oil products, implemented in December and February, respectively, started so successfully that they brought back from the past images of Russia-USSR as a rusty “gas station of Europe” and “Upper Volta with missiles.” Against the background of the collapse of oil and gas revenues, the deficit of the federal budget of the Russian Federation amounted to almost $25 billion in January. This has not happened since 1998 – a symbolic year of economic disaster for Russia. This positive trend must be consolidated,” Petro Poroshenko believes.
In particular, he calls for an end to the transportation of Russian oil by tankers of the shadow fleet, as well as to limit the supply of liquefied gas from Russia.
“I insist on closing access to the Suez Canal for Russian cargo. The longer the route of the Russians to the Chinese and Indians, the greater the transport costs, the greater the losses of Russia, the fewer Ukrainians will die,” Petro Poroshenko emphasizes.
According to him, it is also advisable to close the southern branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline: “Ukraine, I am convinced, will be ready to suffer losses from its revenues and from Druzhba, and even from GTS. What may cost Kyiv $1 billion will cost Moscow $16 billion: $10 for gas and $6 for oil.”
If all these proposals are implemented in the upcoming sanctions packages of the European Union, by the end of the third quarter of 2023, the liquid part of the Russian gold and currency reserves will be completely exhausted. This will kill Russian imports, which means it will kill the economy. Inflation and a sharp drop in the standard of living will hit the social basis of Putin’s government – explains Petro Poroshenko.
“The world will definitely be better without Putin. Deprive Putin of money, help us with weapons, add sanctions from hell, deputinize Russia and welcome Ukraine to both the EU and NATO. Only all the components of this winning formula together guarantee permanent security for the European continent and the whole world. It’s time to win this war,” Petro Poroshenko sums up.