Ukraine Seeks Stronger Russia Sanctions

Ukraine is seeking closer cooperation with civil society organizations to strengthen sanctions pressure on Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s sanctions policy adviser Vladyslav Vlasiuk said after a meeting with advocacy and research groups on Oct. 1, 2026.

The meeting, held both online and in person, brought together representatives of organizations including the Economic Security Council of Ukraine, Razom We Stand, DiXi Group, StateWatch, NAKO and the International Renaissance Foundation. Participants discussed targeting companies that continue to supply components used by Russia’s defense industry and weapons production.

Roman Steblivskyi of the Economic Security Council said the organization was preparing a questionnaire to help companies identify sanctions-related vulnerabilities and supply-chain risks. He said civil society groups had already helped disrupt several supply chains linked to Russia’s military-industrial complex.

The discussions also focused on Russia’s shadow fleet, energy exports and financial networks. Participants raised concerns about the growing use of Russian flags by tankers transporting oil through the Baltic Sea and criticized the lack of a European Union proposal to phase out Russian oil under the bloc’s REPowerEU plans. They also discussed countering Russia’s A7 financial platform, which Ukraine says is being used to bypass Western sanctions and create alternatives to SWIFT.

Vlasiuk thanked the organizations for their assistance and said civil society analysis was regularly incorporated into the government’s sanctions work. The participants agreed on further joint efforts to advocate stronger European sanctions and improve enforcement measures against Russia.