Steven Pifer: US to strengthen sanctions against Russia if it fails the Minsk agreements

The United States have to tighten economic sanctions against Russia in case of new offensive in Donbas and if Kremlin fails to fulfill its responsibilities according to the Minsk Agreements, said Steven Pifer, senior analyst and the director of the Brooking’s Arms Control Initiative (USA) during the 8th Kyiv Security Forum, organized by Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation. 

“The USA need to retain sanctions against Russia in force and be ready to intensify them if a new offensive in Donbas takes place or if Russia won't adhere to its obligations under the Minsk Agreements”, – he said.

Steven Pifer highly evaluated the US political and economic support of Ukraine, but at the same time he stated that the United States have to be ready to render additional financial assistance to Ukraine if effective implementation of reforms takes place. “It will be much cheaper to forestall crisis than to overcome its consequences,” – he said. The analyst is sure that the USA could do much more within the framework of the military assistance of Ukraine.
S. Pifer also thinks that the EU needs to play a bigger role that proceeds from their economic clout.”

The expert is convinced that “the return to normal condition of the situation in Ukraine is impossible unless Russian Federation, which has levers of influence, wants this”.
“Until now Russia doesn’t want the crisis to be resolved on conditions acceptable for Ukraine. This means the USA will continue its policy in this regard,” – he stated.

Mr. Pifer also commented on the possibility of Washington participation in peaceful settlement in Donbas: “The United States were not directly involved in the framing of the Minsk Agreements. I don’t know how this could have changed the nature of the document but the possibility exists the US can bring new chances. In this case we have to be ready for this and I think Washington will accept this idea”.

Observing the NATO response to the conflict in Ukraine S. Pifer mentioned that the Alliance takes suppression measures in order Russia could not think of doing the same actions against a NATO member. At the same time he stated that it is unlikely that the “green men” appeared somewhere in the Balkan states, but one can’t be sure that this danger can be eliminated at all, the analyst added.

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The annual international event ‘Kyiv Security Forum’, established by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007 is aplatform to discuss the most pressing issues concerning the security in Europe and the Black Sea region. The Forum is aimed at promoting security cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea Region, raising awareness of the development of security among key players and strengthening the role of independent and non-governmental actors in solving security problems in Europe.