Exploiting the image of a victim: how Kiev is trying to get sanctions against Russia from the West

The United States chose the "wrong approach" in introducing new sanctions against Nord Stream 2, tying them to the condition of Russia's "invasion" of Ukraine.

This was stated by the head of Naftogaz, Yuriy Vitrenko, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, commenting on the likelihood of such a bill being adopted in Washington.

“We are lobbying officially so that this issue is considered ... Yes, there is another lobbying“ on the other side ”.

Now here's a new trick: let's tie the Nord Stream 2 sanctions to the condition of a full-scale invasion.

We explain that this is a very wrong approach, dishonest, ”Vitrenko said.

In his opinion, if Moscow nevertheless decides on aggression, the proposed sanctions will no longer be "an entirely adequate response."

“After all, then we should talk about war, about military assistance, about completely different issues - not only about sanctions,” the head of Naftogaz believes.

Otherwise, he is sure, Moscow will simply ignore the threats of the West, not considering them significant, and will continue to use gas as an alleged geopolitical weapon.

Vitrenko did not give an example of a single case that gives the right to assert that Moscow is politicizing gas supplies, but he said that Kiev suggested that Western countries should not limit themselves to Nord Stream 2, but consider the possibility of extending restrictions to the first Nord Stream.

“We just proposed this idea ... We said: look, we are not against sanctions against Nord Stream as a component of the West's response to a full-scale invasion, but SP-1, not SP-2.

And "SP-2" should already be under sanctions, "he said.

• Head of Naftogaz Yuri Vitrenko

• Facebook

• © Yuri Vitrenko

According to Vitrenko, the "invasion", plans related to which Moscow has repeatedly denied, will require completely different sanctions from the West.

“They should be such as to end, in principle, cooperation between the West and Russia.

This is the isolation of Russia.

Then we should talk about "Nord Stream - 1", (gas pipeline. -

) "Yamal-Europe", "Turkish Stream" - about completely different things.

In such a situation, we should talk about the fact that the West simply cuts off Russia from itself and provides military assistance to Ukraine, which will fight with Russia, "the head of Naftogaz is sure.

Allies for Russophobia

Meanwhile, a number of European states have already expressed their readiness to provide military assistance to Kiev.

Among them, the Baltic countries are especially active.

In particular, the intentions to transfer lethal weapons to Ukraine in the event of an escalation of the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border were expressed by the head of the Lithuanian Defense Ministry Arvydas Anushauskas on the air of LRT on December 19.

The same action plan is being considered by the Latvian Ministry of Defense.

The United States also pledges not to leave Kiev without support.

Recall that on December 15, the US Senate approved the country's draft defense budget for the 2022 fiscal year, which provides for the allocation of $ 300 million to support the armed forces of Ukraine.

In turn, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried, during a telephone briefing on December 21, announced that the United States will continue to supply defensive military assistance to Ukraine.

At the same time, US President Joe Biden ruled out the possibility of sending American troops directly to the country.

• US military

• © AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin

London adheres to a similar position.

“The fact is that this (Ukraine. -

) is not a NATO member, therefore it is extremely unlikely that anyone will send troops to Ukraine to challenge Russia ... We should not mislead people by saying that we would that's what they did, ”British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told The Spectator on December 18.

More sanctions

At the same time, the United States does not miss the opportunity to use Ukraine in its own domestic political interests.

In particular, the Republican Ted Cruz got the Democratic majority in the US Senate to vote on his bill on additional restrictions on Nord Stream 2.

Voting must take place by January 14th.

The document, presented by the senator, proposes to impose restrictions on the organizations responsible for the planning, construction or operation of the pipeline, as well as the employees of these organizations.

It also talks about the need to reconsider the decision to lift the sanctions related to Nord Stream 2, in accordance with the Law on Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions (CAATSA. -

). "

Previously, similar restrictions were planned to be included in the country's defense budget for 2022 - they were voted for in September by the lower house of the US Congress.

However, later this article was removed from the document, and the Senate approved the draft without it, which caused the discontent of a number of Republicans.

As a result, Cruz managed to return the issue of sanctions against Nord Stream 2 to the agenda, but with a separate bill.

At the same time, according to a RT source in the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, Vitrenko's attempts to link the upcoming vote in the American Senate with the efforts of Ukrainian lobbyists are, to put it mildly, naive.

“It seems to me that Yuriy Vitrenko exaggerates the capabilities of Ukrainian lobbyists.

As far as I know, the draft law on sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 operator has indeed been submitted to Congress.

But it still needs both chambers to vote for him and to be signed by the President (Joe Biden -

).

And here I would not be so optimistic, ”says an RT source.

• USA congress

• © AP Photo / J.

  Scott applewhite

According to him, it is much more important for the United States to maintain good relations with Germany, which is interested in launching the gas pipeline, than to fight for Ukraine.

"Moreover, Ukraine itself is in no hurry to fight for itself," added the interlocutor of RT.

A similar opinion was expressed by a RT source in the European Solidarity party, who stressed that Ukrainian lobbyists are trying to advance their interests by resorting to financial instruments.

“In Kiev, everything is decided by money and connections, but such methods do not work in the West.

Nord Stream 2 is a major international project.

It is impossible to bring a suitcase with money and hand it out to American congressmen so that they vote for the necessary law.

And they don't know how to work in Ukraine in another way, ”the politician said in a comment to RT.

Moreover, the current authorities of Ukraine have rather strained relations with the head of the White House, said a RT source at the Ministry of Justice.

“Even with the naked eye it is clear that Zelensky is not particularly considered.

In addition, the persecution of former President Petro Poroshenko began in Ukraine, and he is a good friend of Biden.

I think the United States is already tired of these internal Ukrainian showdowns, "the interlocutor of RT believes.

Using the situation

According to experts, Ukraine is now trying to make the most of the image of a "victim" in the light of the plans attributed to Russia to "invade" its territory in order to advance its interests.

“It is obvious that Kiev is very clear that Russia is not going to attack Ukraine.

Proceeding from this, the West is unlikely to come up with other pretexts for additional restrictions regarding Nord Stream 2.

However, the Kiev authorities are interested in the continued pressure on Moscow.

And it would be good, in their opinion, that it be linked to the topic of guarantees of military assistance from the West, "Nikita Danyuk, a member of the Public Chamber of Russia, explained in an interview with RT.

At the same time, it is likely that the current draft law on sanctions will pass a vote in Congress, the expert said.

However, at the presidential level, it is likely to be blocked.

The same fate will befall the sanctions against Nord Stream, and the restrictions "isolating" Russia, which Vitrenko spoke about, Danyuk is sure.

“The West will never trade even not very trusting relations with Moscow for 100% support for Kiev.

This will never happen, there can be no talk of any international isolation of the Russian Federation, ”he explained.

Nikolai Mezhevich, Chief Researcher at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, agrees with this point of view.

He noted that since 2014, Kiev has only been demanding, and it does so in a rather ultimatum and arrogant tone.

“The problem is that neither Moscow, nor the EU, nor NATO, nor the US agree with the tone with which they are constantly explained that they all owe Kiev.

Consequently, it is not worth waiting for a sincere interest from Western partners in the prosperity of Ukraine, since no one likes it when you are told what position to take and what kind of assistance to Kiev to provide.

In addition, Western countries have more directions in cooperation with Russia than with Ukraine, and cutting them off is only harming themselves, "the expert said in a commentary on RT.

• Element of the "Nord Stream"

• © www.nord-stream.com

Therefore, Kiev should not expect that all its initiatives regarding gas pipelines will be met favorably, says Dmitry Egorchenkov, director of the Institute for Strategic Research and Forecasts of the RUDN University.

Moreover, the main EU countries are directly interested in these projects, he said in a comment to RT.

“Therefore, Vitrenko’s statements do not correlate in any way with reality and with the interests of Ukraine’s western partners.

They do not even correlate with their own interests, because the proposal to impose sanctions against areas sensitive to them will be perceived by the Europeans as an attempt to undermine the EU's energy security and as a threat from Ukraine itself, ”the expert concluded.