Orysia LUTSEVYCH: Western sanctions against Russia must be kept in place

The West’s sanctions against Russia must be kept in place; however, Ukraine needs to continue its internal work, aimed at strengthening its defense capabilities and reform, believes Orysia Lutsevych, Expert and Manager of the Ukrainian Forum Chatham House (Great Britain).

She said this at the 12th Kyiv Security Forum, organized by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk “Open Ukraine” Foundation.

“Western sanctions against Russian must be kept in place and, depending on Russia’s behavior, perhaps need to be made more severe. However, Ukrainian sanctions need to be in line with the West. Some companies, which are on the Western lists, are missing from the Ukrainian one,” she said.

O. Lutsevych also emphasized the importance of continuing the reform of Ukraine’s security sector.

“In this case, it’s important to keep in mind that the conflict doesn’t have a short-term solution and build a stable army and develop internal security in accordance with European standards… Also important is the fight against disinformation, the strengthening of independent media sources. Political reforms are also necessary, specifically electoral legislation and the continuation of decentralization,” the expert emphasized.

In her opinion, Ukraine also needs to work towards gaining the trust of its European partners.

“The main emotions tied to Ukraine are anxiety and uncertainty. Ukraine has not yet passed the point of no return in proving itself as a reliable partner. We still have a lot of work left towards building trust between Ukraine and its western partners. This trust is built by joint efforts,” she stressed.

FOR REFERENCE:

The annual “Kyiv Security Forum” was initiated by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk “Open Ukraine” Foundation in 2007. Since then, the Forum has become a platform for high-level, international discussions about relevant matters of national security, as well as the security of the Black Sea region, Europe, and the world.