Sanctions on Russia must remain in place after de-occupation of Ukrainian territories

After the occupied territories of Ukraine are liberated, sanctions on Russia must remain in place until Russia recognizes Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territory in its internationally recognized borders and pays for Ukraine's reconstruction, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics (New Unity) said in his annual report on Latvia's foreign policy and EU affairs. 

Rinkevics stressed that Russia's ruling elite, who is responsible for Russia's aggression in Ukraine, has been sanctioned by restricting these people's possibilities to travel and freezing their assets in the EU. At present, there are 1,836 names on the list of sanctioned persons, including Russia's top state officials, lawmakers, members of the National Security Council and other individuals close to the Putin administration like oligarchs and Kremlin propagandists. Sanctions have also been slapped on 171 legal entities and Kremlin propaganda has been restricted by banning nine Russian propaganda outlets in the EU. 

According to the foreign minister's report, Latvia will support an EU-level solution that would allow using the frozen Russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine. According to Rinkevics, it is essential to harmonize the regulation by criminalizing serious sanctions violations and ensuring that providers of services and consultations who help Russia dodge the sanctions are also called to account. 

Source: The Baltic Times