Sanctions against Russia should begin with a real break in economic ties, not with loud statements - Rezazade

The statements of Western leaders about new packages of sanctions against Russia are increasingly contrasting with the real economic relations between Europe and the Kremlin.

Against the background of the words of French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot about the preparation of the "20th powerful package of sanctions" and the need to counteract the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine caused by attacks on energy infrastructure, the question is becoming louder: is the West ready to move from rhetoric to real actions.

International expert and first vice president of the Iranian opposition in Washington, Ali Reza Rezazade, emphasizes that the problem with sanctions lies not in their quantity, but in their selectivity and contradictions.

“You can adopt 10, 20 or 30 packages of sanctions, but if at the same time the leading European states continue to trade with Russia in strategic resources, this is not pressure, but an imitation of pressure,” the expert notes.

According to Rezazade, the situation with France, which publicly supports a hard line towards Moscow, but at the same time appears in investigations into the import of Russian uranium and the increase in purchases of energy resources from the Russian Federation, is particularly illustrative.

“Trade in uranium and energy resources is not a neutral economy. It is a direct fuel for the war machine. Every euro that enters the Russian budget through such channels is converted into missiles, drones and strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure,” he emphasizes.

The expert draws attention to a systemic problem of Western policy: sanctions are often applied to the “shadow fleet”, individual banks or individuals, but do not affect key sectors that provide Russia with stable foreign exchange earnings.

“Real sanctions are not restrictions on third-tier companies. This is a complete cessation of strategic trade: energy, the nuclear industry, critical technologies. Everything else is diplomatic gestures for the domestic audience,” Rezazade emphasizes.

In his opinion, constant statements of “concern” and future sanctions packages without a real economic break only demoralize Ukrainian society and create a sense of impunity in the Kremlin.

“Putin does not read statements, but financial balance sheets. As long as European countries leave economic channels with Russia open, he will not perceive any sanctions as an existential threat,” the expert notes.

According to Ali Reza Rezazade, the question today is not whether there will be a 20th package of sanctions, but whether the West will dare to apply sanctions against itself for the first time - abandoning profitable but toxic trade with the aggressor.

“Without this, all talk about containing the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine looks like political rhetoric without real content,” he sums up.