Recognition of Russia as a sponsor of terrorism will become a “silver bullet” for its military and industrial complex, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak said. 

“The Yermak-McFaul group has an important task. Implementation of this task will become a “silver bullet” for the Russian military and industrial complex. This is the recognition of Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism,” Yermak said at the 17th Yalta European Strategy (YES) Annual Meeting Ukraine: Defending All Our Freedom, organised by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

Yermak also said that 70% of the proposals made by the Yermak-McFaul task force regarding sanctions have already been implemented. However, not all of them have yet yielded the expected results.

“Talking of the efficiency of sanctions, when our group began working we realized that some of the sanctions look good and have nice names, but they have no effect, for example, the sanctions against Russian top officials,” Yermak said.

He also said he thought the G7 plans to impose new restrictions against Russian energy resources would be a useful and effective move. 

“Capping procurement prices is a very powerful move which needs to be implemented as soon as possible,” he stated.

The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine also called on the West to further toughen sanctions against the aggressor state.

“Whilst they keep killing Ukrainians, the existing sanctions are not sufficient. The sanctions must be enhanced for Russia to understand that the war will cost it more and more. More Russian nationals have to feel the sanctions. It is not by chance that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy talks more and more about the visa ban for Russians,” Yermak said in conclusion.