Kyiv/Washington –
Today in Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and potential next steps. President Trump stated that the meeting is concluded, he has phoned Putin, and a follow up is to come.
Razom We Stand, a Ukrainian campaign group fighting to cut off the fossil fuel revenues that fuel Putin’s war, responded:
Dr. Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Executive Director of Razom We Stand, said:
“While today’s meeting brought words and some commitments of support and security guarantees, the lack of concrete measures leaves Ukrainians deeply worried. Partial steps and delayed promises are not enough. Every day of hesitation strengthens Putin’s hand. Just as we saw yesterday when 10 people, including one child, were killed in a disgusting attack on a residential building in Kharkiv.
Allies must follow through with bold, coordinated sanctions to cut off the Kremlin’s fossil-fuel lifelines once and for all. Every concession emboldens the Kremlin to keep killing, and the only real path to peace is cutting off the fossil fuel cash that fuels Putin’s war machine.”
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, fossil fuel exports have earned the Kremlin more than $1 trillion, funding the destruction of Ukrainian cities, infrastructure, and countless lives.
The UK government estimates that sanctions have deprived the Kremlin of ca. $450 billion in war funds, proof that they work. Longer trade routes, higher shipping costs, and shrinking reserves are already straining Moscow’s war economy.
Dr. Romanko and Razom We Stand call for these measures to be implemented now:
- Trump should announce that he will sign US Senator Graham’s existing “bone-crushing” sanctions bill, which contains tough 500% tariffs.
- Place full sanctions on all Russian fossil fuel exports, and put secondary sanctions on countries that consume them, like Trump did on India last month, and threatened this week to tighten further.
- Strengthen sanctions on LNG exports, especially the sanctions from Jan 2025 on Arctic LNG, one of Putin’s personal favourite new mega-energy projects.
- Create international mechanisms to find and track the illegal shadow fleet of ships exporting Russian oil. Enforce existing laws to dry up the industry.
- Imposing a total embargo on Russian fossil fuels and, at a minimum, lowering the oil price cap to $20–25 per barrel.
ENDS
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 BBC, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Newsweek, The Hill, Rolling Stone, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Politico, The Guardian, FAZ, Der Spiegel, Le Monde, and more.
Contact:
Jason Kirkpatrick, Head of Communications
Razom We Stand
