Russia is a toxic partner responsible for mass war crimes in Ukraine. De-Putinization is a global task that is beyond simple canceling. Every institutional environment from politics and international relations to energy, business, art and research might have been infiltrated by holders of the Russian chauvinist agenda. The earlier the world cuts all ties, the better, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba summed up in a tweet in March 2022.
Today Russian influence and money are considered with the suspicion it has deserved since the day Putin first became President. The world understands why Russia is a toxic state and why its dependence on it spreads the “Russian disease” to other countries in any area. The countries of the European Union reached a compromise on 6 packages of sanctions against Russia. These include an embargo on 2/3 of Russian oil. In addition, the EU decided to disconnect Russia’s Sberbank from the international financial messaging system SWIFT and imposed a ban on broadcasting in Europe for three more Russian TV channels. In turn, the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that thanks to this package of sanctions, oil imports from Russia to the EU will be reduced by 90% by the end of the year. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallac called on EU leaders to take further steps to completely isolate the Kremlin following Russia’s partial oil embargo on its aggression against Ukraine.
Russian toxicity is spilling on Russians regardless of their political views. Western sanctions that were meant for Putin’s inner circle also hit any holders of Russian passports. Russians who were not directly targeted by sanctions, but are looking to establish any long-term relations abroad, face financial and communicative problems. Many of the Russians who suffered sanctions abroad expressed spiteful revanchist ideas about their hosting countries, which continued the cycle of Russian toxicity. Russia should change for the sake of its own people.
Speakers:
- Bektour Iskender, co-founder of Kloop Media
- Oleksandr Mishyn, co-founder of the Center for African Studies.
UKRAINE IN FLAMES project is created by Ukraine Crisis Media Center, Ukrainian Catholic University’s analitical center and NGO “Euroatlantic Course”. We are aiming at searching a loud support for Ukraine in the war started by Russia on the 24th of February 2022.
If you want to support Ukraine against Russian aggression, check the link with recommendations by Ukraine Crisis Media Center – https://uacrisis.org/en/help-ukraine.
NGO Euroatlantic Course collects donations to support Ukrainian Army and civilians – https://eac.org.ua/en/main-page/.
