USR representatives, 206 other MEPs ask for meeting of European Council, sanctions against Russia

USR (Save Romania Union) MEPs and 206 other MEPs, in an open letter, ask for convening an emergency meeting of the European Council to decide on new sanctions against Russia, following the Bucha massacre, Agerpres reports.

According to a press release of the USR, MEPs Alin Mituta, Dacian Ciolos, Ramona Strugariu, Dragos Pislaru, Dragos Tudorache, Vlad Gheorghe, Nicolae Stefanuta and Vlad Botos, along with the other signatories of the letter, demand the following new sanctions: complete embargo on oil, gas and coal; the closure of all European ports for Russian ships; disconnection of all Russian banks from SWIFT; additional military support for Ukraine.

"The massacre in Bucha and other localities must have consequences. We must make sure that Putin's regime is completely isolated and that he no longer has access to resources to continue the war and commit such atrocities. That is why we have called for an urgent meeting of the European Council to take new measures. The European countries pay between 600 million and 1 billion euros a day for Russian imports of gas, oil and coal, and we must stop this indirect financing of Putin's war machine immediately. We must also close all European ports for Russian ships and disconnect all Russian banks from SWIFT. At the same time, we have a duty to continue helping Ukraine, including with lethal military equipment," said USR MEP Alin Mituta.

For his part, USR MEP Vlad Gheorghe underscored that "a united Europe cannot turn a blind eye to the horrors committed in Ukraine" and has a duty to impose the proposed sanctions on Russia.

"If we still debate what sanctions are proportional to the war crimes committed by Vladimir Putin's regime on the borders of the Union, it means that we cannot represent the European citizens correctly and completely, we do not have in mind their prosperity and security in front of a third party. Unfortunately, Romania knows too well the actions of the "liberating" Red Army. And I am also certain that the Romanians who have volunteered at the border crossing points for the past 40 days and have welcomed the Ukrainian refugees in their homes, helping them as they were some relatives who came to visit, also never forgot.We have the duty to impose all the sanctions that me and my colleagues proposed on Russia, and to establish a Rebuilding Fund for Ukraine financed from the frozen assets of the Kremlin and its oligarchs from all over Europe," he said.