• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Undersecretary Kodar in Brussels: We must make a joint effort to raise the cost of the war for Russia

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

20.09.2023

Undersecretary for Legal and Consular Affairs Erki Kodar was in Brussels on 18 and 19 September for a high-level meeting on implementing European Union sanctions, chaired by European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness.

The meeting shared best practices on the implementation of sanctions and discussed a more efficient prevention of sanctions circumvention. At the meeting, Kodar said the sanctions had a clear impact on Russia's economy, which funds the country's continued aggression in Ukraine. "Just like we are looking for ways to raise the cost of the war for Russia, Russia is looking for ways to continue its brutal war in Ukraine in spite of sanctions. For this, it needs resources."

"Preventing these resources from reaching Russia must be our common effort," Kodar added. "The best way to achieve this is to continue and reinforce our common practice of implementing sanctions and preventing circumvention."

Kodar also highlighted the unique position of countries bordering Russia in the trade with Russia and Central Asian countries because transit takes exports from the European Union through these border states. "As Russia is using the help of third countries to circumvent sanctions, our priority is to limit the flow of sanctioned goods to Russia through third countries."

The meeting also included a discussion with Ukrainian colleagues about potential steps to raise the cost of the aggression for Russia, both by ramping up existing sanctions and imposing new restrictions.