16:30 12.09.2014

Tymoshenko calls on West to impose short-term strong sanctions on Russia

1 min read

Batkivschyna Party leader Yulia Tymoshenko has described as ineffective the current long-term Western sanctions against Russia, calling for a switch to short-term, but more painful restrictive measures.

"We need to change the essence and meaning of sanctions. Long-term sanctions lead to the depletion of European companies, but have no effect on [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. We must switch to short-term, but really strong sanctions that may stop the aggressor even for a little while, in order to hold talks," she said at the 11th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in Kyiv on Friday.

She also urged the West to arm Ukraine and admit it to NATO.

"The path to NATO should start today, and it should be made as short as possible," Tymoshenko said.

She said that Putin was the best integrator of Ukraine with NATO, saying that at the beginning of the war accession to NATO was supported by 13-15% of Ukrainians, whereas now it is backed by more than 70%.

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