For immediate release 27 February, 2023
Kyiv, Ukraine -
One year into the fight, and the world is looking for solutions instead of continual reports of war. But now a ray of light is offered by a new 5-point "Manifesto for a New Ukraine and a New World", launched by Ukrainian group Razom We Stand. The lofty goal? To end the war by drying up putin's war machine with a new global campaign for a full embargo on exports of all Russian fossil fuels and accelerated clean energy transition.
Svitlana Romanko, Director of Razom We Stand, stated:
“The embargo on russian fossil fuels that we have pushed for is taking effect, but this is too slow, and we need more action now. It’s time for policymakers and powerbrokers to cut murderous oil, gas and coal money flows to russia completely. Next, Ukraine can and should be rebuilt without dirty energy, hitting putin, other petro-dictators and the oil and gas industry in their weakest spot: by taking away their profits. Ukraine is already starting to rebuild its energy grid and this should be done in a decentralized, sustainable fashion and powered by clean energy.
Putin has unwittingly disrupted energy markets forever, and forced through an acceleration of a just and clean energy transition. By launching our Manifesto, and joining efforts with others in 2023, we can push russian oil and gas income to zero, and drive a clean energy revolution in Ukraine, Europe and globally. By doing so we will ensure that this “first” grim anniversary will be the last. Once Russia’s oil and gas trades, which are the lifeline of the terrorist petrostate, are displaced from energy markets by clean renewable energy, its export revenues will dwindle and its ability to threaten the whole world will collapse.”
Addressing the UK parliament in February 2023, Ukrainian President Zelensky said that a “Ukrainian victory will change the world - the change the world has long needed”. This perspective has supported our belief that it is the hopeful positive vision of a better future detailed in our Manifesto that will drive this change. Our vision includes a transition away from fossil fuels and towards a clean energy future, which will also solve the growing climate crisis.
Our Manifesto has five key points for advocacy – five areas for strategic actions from national governments and international organizations including the European Union, the G7 and the G20:
- Enforce a FULL set of energy sanctions against Russia.
- Invest in the European continental grid with Ukraine.
- Defund the fossil fuel industry.
- Democratize green transition.
- Cut global oil and gas demand.
Ukraine's fight against fossil fueled oppression must become a beginning for breaking free from fossil fuelled petro-dictatorships around the entire world. The rebuilding of Ukraine should be the beginning of a global movement for clean, renewable, and safe energy.
The campaign is seeking global support with a call to sign the Manifesto before the key landmark Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2023), which will be hosted by the UK in London on 21-22 June 2023. This event for national leaders should set Ukraine on the path towards green reconstruction, a path of ambition and achievement that can create a global showcase of rapid and profound energy transition.
According to a new report by CREA, in January-February 2023 russian fossil fuel exports fell 50% below their 2022 peak, with exports to the EU falling almost 90%. Yet, Russia is still making an estimated EUR 560 mln per day on exporting fossil fuels to fund its brutal invasion in Ukraine.
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Press Contact:
Jason Kirkpatrick, press@razomwestand.org,
Snr. Communications Mgr., Razom We Stand
