Yermak-McFaul group's sanctions plan for Russia is half implemented - Ukrainian Presidential Office

A news release including a statement on this was issued by the Chief of the  Presidential staff Andrii Yermak.

"Recognize Putin's Russia as a 'terrorist state.'" This designation will have important legal implications for the war in Ukraine, and it is time for the world to act.

Terrorism is not a tactic of political coercion that can only be used by out-of-control groups against a more powerful adversary.  It can also be used by a large country against a smaller country. Tactics, methods and results remain unchanged," Yermak emphasized. 

The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine notes that the Western allies have condemned the attacks of the Russian Federation and non-military targets, but they must legally define these atrocities: "The Russian Federation participates in large-scale terrorist activities."

"Despite support in many important areas, Ukraine's Western allies still do not officially recognize Russia as a terrorist state or a state sponsor of terrorism. Such a move would have legal consequences, because no one in the West deals with terrorists, and such a definition would further limit access  of the Russian regime to the finances necessary to finance its military machine," the head of the President's Office emphasized.

Yermak gave examples of terrorist activities of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, in particular, the killing of civilians on the streets, rocket attacks on residential buildings, the bombed drama theater in Mariupol, where citizens, namely children, were hiding. 

As of today, 50% of the proposals developed by the International Expert Group on Sanctions against Russia, the so-called Yermak-McFaul Group, have been implemented, he noted.

"Now we see how EU sanctions coordinators are developing the seventh package based on the materials of our group. We see the reflection of our ideas in the sanctions of Great Britain, the United States, as well as other states of the sanctions coalition. In general, the group has made a very important impact. And I would like us to support  this success," Andrii Yermak said.

The international group insists on further energy and financial sanctions, as well as the expansion of individual sanctions against representatives of the Russian Federation, it is noted. 

"We are telling the world: there is no time to get tired of sanctions, and therefore we should continue our work," Yermak noted.