As Russian strikes on Palm Sunday killed dozens, including two children yesterday, the EU continues to refrain from taking actions to hold the Kremlin accountable. Ukrainian campaign group Razom We Stand calls for immediate, decisive action from U.S. and European leaders to end the flow of fossil fuel revenues funding Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine. Existing sanctions proposals could apply the pressure on Putin needed to end the war, and these actions must be taken now.
The situation is urgent. In Germany, Members of Parliament are actively discussing whether to restart the Nord Stream pipeline to bring gas from Russia to Europe, but this must be stopped. Finland’s President Alex Stubbs calls for more sanctions urgently, and German CDU MP Roderich Kiesewetter is advising an end to Nord Stream. But his governing CDU party is wavering. Razom We Stand insists that now is the time for Europe to completely ban all imports of Russian energy, including ending Nord Stream.
Based on projected European gas prices of €39/MWh for the 12 months from July 2025, Gazprom would earn €39 billion annually from full-capacity pipeline operations resuming. If these revenues are redirected to Russia’s war machine, they could fund 1,711 Iskander-M ballistic missiles or 5.1 million 152mm artillery shells—which would undoubtedly be used in similarly horrific attacks against innocent Ukrainians.
Dr. Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director of Razom We Stand, said: “Yesterday was supposed to be a peaceful Palm Sunday. Families were walking to church, with children playing outside. After desperately freezing weeks, people were out enjoying the first real breath of spring.
Instead, Russia launched two ballistic missiles to strike the centre of Sumy, an eastern Ukrainian city. 34 civilians were killed. 117 were injured. Among them, 17 children. They died on the streets, in cars, on public transport.
Fossil fuels are still funding this war. Despite sanctions, Russia still earns billions from oil and gas exports – money that enables its missile production, drone attacks, and war crimes across Ukraine. As long as this money flows, the bombs will too.”
Razom We Stand Urges the Following Immediate Actions:
- Enforce “Bone-Breaking” Sanctions and Fully Ban Russian LNG Exports: Implement and enforce the robust sanctions Senator Lindsay Graham has proposed, targeting all Russian fossil fuel exports, including LNG, which continues to flow through European ports and fuels Putin’s war.
- Sanction All Shadow Fleet Vessels Facilitating Russian Oil and Gas Trade: Crack down on the shadow fleet—old, uninsured, and unregulated vessels that transport sanctioned Russian oil and LNG worldwide—by removing their access to global insurance, shipping, and port services.
- Align U.S., EU, UK, and G7 Sanctions to Close Loopholes Enabling Russian Revenues: End fragmented enforcement by harmonising sanctions regimes across allied nations, preventing Russian fossil fuels from finding buyers through weak regulatory gaps.
In the UK, Kier Starmer’s government must also do more to stop companies like Seapeak, which continue to ship Russian LNG. No country or company should be able to facilitate Kremlin energy exports with impunity. Only a complete shutdown of Russian oil and gas revenue can effectively weaken Putin’s desire for war and bring peace to Ukraine.”
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Dr. Svitlana Romanko is available for interviews to discuss the Sumy attack, the urgent need for stronger sanctions, and how cutting off Russian fossil fuel revenues is essential to ending the war.
You can read Razom We Stand’s new report Revenues from Restarting Russian Gas Pipelines to Europe – New Research here.
Razom We Stand is a Ukraine-based campaign group active internationally. It calls for a total and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and an immediate end to all investment in Russian oil and gas companies by phasing out fossil fuels globally.Svitlana Romanko has appeared in the top-tier international press, including Der Spiegel, Le Monde, The Guardian, Bloomberg, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Newsweek, Politico, The Hill, Rolling Stone, Financial Times and more.
