Ukraine's Parliament Speaker Makes Sanctions Case On Capitol Hill, Warns Against Prolonged Talks

"WASHINGTON -- Ukraine's parliamentary speaker spent February 6 on Capitol Hill making the case to US lawmakers that tougher sanctions enforcement remains central to Kyiv's effort to blunt Russia's war as it grinds toward a fifth year. Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada, is visiting Washington as part of Ukraine Week 2026, holding meetings with senior members of Congress as Kyiv seeks to sustain US political support nearly five years into Russia's full-scale invasion."

""Sanctions are extremely important when we are talking about ending this war," Stefanchuk told RFE/RL in an interview through an interpreter. He said sanctions pressure must limit Russia's ability to finance its military campaign and close loopholes that allow Moscow to bypass existing restrictions. Stefanchuk specifically pointed to Russia's use of a so-called shadow fleet to continue exporting energy products despite Western sanctions, saying enforcement gaps undermine the overall pressure campaign."

""When it comes to sanctions, it's very important to make sure that these sanctions are just and hellish for Russia," he said, adding that Kyiv is less concerned with new sanctions packages than with the effectiveness of existing measures. During his meetings, Stefanchuk also raised the issue of Ukrainian children abducted by Russian forces -- a subject he said was discussed with Speaker Johnson. According to estimates by the Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab, up to 35,000 Ukrainian children may have been taken to Russia since the war began."

Ruslan Stefanchuk visited Washington during Ukraine Week 2026 to meet senior US lawmakers and seek sustained political, financial, and military support. Meetings included conversations with House Republican Mike Johnson, Senator Lindsey Graham, and Senator Richard Blumenthal. Stefanchuk stressed that strict enforcement of existing sanctions and closing enforcement gaps are critical to limiting Russia's ability to finance its military campaign. He highlighted a so-called shadow fleet that continues exporting energy products despite sanctions and emphasized effectiveness over new packages. He also raised concerns about Ukrainian children taken to Russia, with estimates up to 35,000.

Read at RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty