Ahead of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, taking place this week in Switzerland on June 15-16, Ukrainian climate organization Razom We Stand, with a support of 65 civil society groups all around the world issued a call to action demanding global leaders to enforce stronger sanctions on Russia’s energy sector.
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has earned over EUR 675 billion from fossil fuel exports, bolstered by purchases from many countries attending the summit, including the G7, European Union, Turkey, India, and China. These revenues fuel Russia's ongoing brutal assault on Ukraine, with devastating effects on civilian infrastructure and energy supplies, leaving thousands without electricity.
The Summit on Peace in Ukraine aims to foster dialogue for a comprehensive and lasting peace for Ukraine and Europe, incorporating concrete roadmaps that include energy security and environmental protection. However, the absence of concrete energy sanctions on the agenda is a significant oversight, especially given Russia’s continued exploitation of sanctions loopholes to fund its brutal war machine.
As Ukrainians and international civil society, we urge the leaders and participants of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in Switzerland to adopt stronger, consolidated sanctions on Russia’s energy sector and strictly enforce them. This is crucial for countering Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine and ensuring regional and global stability. Ukraine is under relentless attack, with over half of its energy infrastructure destroyed or captured, while Russia continues to exploit energy-related sanctions loopholes. Russian energy exports continue to fuel its war machine, undermining the effectiveness of current sanctions.
Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Director of Razom We Stand, emphasized the urgency of sanctions against the Russian fossil fuel industry: “Global leaders must strengthen fossil fuel sanctions against Russia to put a stop to Putin’s unjust war once and for all. Since the full-scale invasion, Russia has earned billions through the sales of fossil fuels, much of which has come from countries now attending this very summit. These revenues enable Russia to continue its brutal assault on Ukraine, devastating our energy infrastructure and leaving thousands without electricity or functioning hospitals. It is imperative that summit participants adopt stronger sanctions and strictly enforce them. This is crucial to countering Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine and ensuring peace in Europe.”
Stronger Energy Sanctions are crucial for the following reasons:
1. Closing Loopholes: Existing sanctions allow Russian energy exports to penetrate global markets. Closing these loopholes is vital to cut off significant revenue streams for Russia.
2. Unified Global Approach: A fragmented sanctions regime weakens the overall impact. Unified, comprehensive sanctions by all nations will demonstrate global resolve and significantly hamper Russia's economy.
3. Economic Impact: The energy sector is a cornerstone of Russia’s economy. Targeting it directly with sanctions will exert substantial pressure on the Kremlin, hindering its ability to finance the war.
We propose the following measures:
- Tightening the oil embargo and introducing enhanced enforcement measures, including prohibitions on importing oil products from Russian crude, and immediate sanctions on vessels violating price caps.
- Comprehensive sanctions against Russian LNG exports, starting with a ban on transshipments in EU ports.
- Peace Summit participants should intensify pressure on states of shadow fleet tanker holders, compelling them to take responsibility for vessels flying their flags. The build-up of shadow tankers should be prevented by restricting the sale of tankers, especially by EU/G7 entities, to operators who do not adhere to sanctions or the price cap policy and to Russian or undisclosed buyers.
- Establish a robust international mechanism to monitor and enforce compliance with energy sanctions to ensure that all countries adhere to the sanctions regime and prevent circumvention.
- Recognizing the urgent need for reconstruction in Ukraine, particularly in the wake of extensive damage to energy infrastructure, we call for increased support for sustainable, distributed, energy-efficient, renewable energy projects. These projects not only enhance energy security and resilience but also contribute to global climate goals and create high-quality jobs.
As the Peace Summit approaches, Razom We Stand together with international civil society calls on all participants to commit to these enhanced sanctions and support Ukraine's path to freedom from Russian aggression and its newfound clean energy security. Concrete steps on these issues should be reflected in the final Communiqué of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine.
Partner quotes:
Kostiantyn Krynytskyi, Head of Energy Department, NGO Ecoaction: “It’s simply incomprehensible how Russia can still receive billions of Euros from fossil fuel exports, while Ukrainian thermal generation lays in ruins after the latest wave of attacks in March-June 2024. The attacks that were made possible and financed by this exact money. While Ukraine is preparing for its worst winter ever with near certain extended electricity cut-offs, both scheduled and emergency, Russia is allowed to replenish its financial resources not only to continue but to constantly escalate the war. We, as a global community which adheres to and respects the rule of law, need to finally put a definitive stop to this.”
Pamphylia Madyavanhu and Liliane Pollmann, Co-Spokespersons of the Global Young Greens: “After more than two years after the Russian invasion in Ukraine we call on the world's leaders and especially the participants of the Peace Summit to stand united and increase the pressure on the Russian regime. It needs concisive action and closing the loopholes in the existing sanctions should be the first step taken. We need the world to stand united and agree on comprehensive sanctions and establish a robust mechanism to monitor and enforce compliance to ensure all countries adhere to the sanctions regime and prevent circumvention.”
Angelos Koutsis, Energy expert at Bond Beter Leefmilieu (BBL): “As the EU and the world follow through on their climate goals, the use of fossil fuels will have to be phased out. It makes irrefutable sense to start with the sources of fossil fuels that expose us to the highest risks with regards to security of supply, human rights violations and climate impact. Russian fossil fuels tick all these boxes. It is time we stop doing Moscow favors and put our money where our mouth is.”
Yevheniia Bryhinets and Igor Skórzybót, Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe (CDN): "Strengthening the sanctions on Russia and its stricter enforcement is crucial in every economy sector, especially the energy one. The international community needs to protect Ukraine and undermine the economy of the terrorist state by any means necessary, and financing the Russian war machine through the import of fossil fuels is unacceptable both legally and morally. We call on Peace Summit participants to commit to these enhanced sanctions and take real and quick actions to implement them."
András Lukács, President of Clean Air Action Group: “Every litre of petrol or diesel we burn in our vehicles helps the Russian war machine to operate. Therefore, if we want peace as soon as possible, we should prefer walking, cycling and public transport to driving, and rail to flying. It is also important to avoid buying goods made from petroleum, especially plastic products.”
Viktoriya Ball, Health researcher and co-founder of Rozviy, Ukrainian youth climate initiative: “We need leaders to address the gaps in sanctions on russian fossil fuels as one of the top priorities in supporting Ukraine, is it absurd that the world's greatest economies still invest in russian aggression at the same time as aid to our country. As young people of Ukraine, we call on Summit on Peace participants to tackle the russian energy sanctions to counteract the destruction in our country and acceleration of the climate crisis.”
Isaac Levi, Europe-Russia Policy & Energy Analysis Team Lead, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air: “Leaders need to act immediately if they are to achieve the RePower EU plan to end the importation of Russian fossil fuels by 2027. No sanctions on Russian gas have been implemented by the EU to date and companies have increased their purchases of Russian LNG by 18% in the first 4 months of 2024 compared to the prior year. As colossal damage and suffering continues in Ukraine, much more needs to be done with a sense of urgency to stop fueling Putin’s war machine”
Irina Pavlova, Spokesperson, B4Ukraine: “Any talks about peace in Ukraine should begin with a clear plan to defund Russia’s war effort. Considering the strategic importance of Russia’s fossil fuel industry to its wartime economy, that’s an obvious place to start. Addressing the refining loophole, the existence of Russia’s shadow fleet and no ban on Russia LNG flows into Europe are paramount to defund Russia’s illegal war. We call on the governments of G7 states to take immediate steps to close those sanctions loopholes.”
ENDS
Razom We Stand is a Ukrainian organisation active internationally, calling for a total and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and an immediate end to all investment into Russian oil and gas companies by phasing out fossil fuels globally.
Svitlana Romanko has appeared in top international press, including Der Spiegel, Tagesspiegel, DW, Le Monde, Financial Times, The Guardian, The Hill, Bloomberg, Washington Post, CNN, NBC and Politico. Photos are available here.
