Guy Verhofstadt Calls on the European Council to Impose Stronger Sanctions on Russia

Guy Verhofstadt, a member of European Parliament, former Prime Minister of Belgium called upon EU to push harder on the Russian Federation.

"You know why your strategy doesn't work? Because progressive packages of sanctions with an autocrat doesn’t work. That works with a democracy, with democrats, who have a public opinion, a real public opinion. In Russia there is no longer a public opinion. The reality is: it doesn't work because the fifth package is what? Coal? It's ridiculous, it's only 3 percent of the imports from Russia. SWIFT ban? Ridiculous! More than fifty percent of the financial institutions are still outside the ban. And oligarchs. The oligarchs, we extend a little bit to oligarchs. The oligarchs will escape finally the sanctions. Or lose a little bit of their money", Verhofstadt said.

He also pointed out that the current sanctions don't work, they just prolong the war.