Ukraine's Sybiha urges strike-by-strike sanctions on Russia at Kyiv briefing with Poland's Sikorski
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, speaking at a joint briefing in Kyiv with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, called on Western partners to impose new sanctions on Russia after every massive strike on Ukraine rather than waiting for large packages. He proposed an "Anti-Ballistic Package" targeting Russian missile and drone production, said Western-made components continue to end up in Russian weapons, and framed Russian attacks as a threat to the EU and NATO and to Black Sea shipping.
Key points
- Sybiha proposed imposing sanctions on Russia after every massive strike on Ukraine, not waiting for large packages.
- He singled out an "Anti-Ballistic Package" and measures to strip Russia of its ability to produce ballistic missiles and drones.
- Sybiha said Russia continues to use Western- and European-made components in missile and drone production, citing information Ukraine has shared with European partners.
- He said "Putin's terror is literally knocking on the doors of the European Union and NATO" and called partial responses insufficient.
- Sybiha called for increased pressure on Russia over attacks on Ukrainian ports, civilian vessels and Black Sea shipping, which he said undermine global food security.
- EU ambassadors on Friday again failed to agree on extending personal sanctions; two capitals are seeking changes to the lists.
- A US Senate sanctions bill approved by an overwhelming majority last month is scheduled for a House of Representatives vote next week.
Why it matters
Sybiha's proposal would shift the rhythm of Western sanctions, tying new measures to each Russian mass strike on Ukraine rather than to slow-moving package negotiations. He used the briefing to put the European sanctions gap — continued use of Western-made components in Russian weapons — at the centre of the story, and to frame Russian attacks as a direct threat to the EU and NATO and to global food security through disruption of Black Sea shipping. The call comes as EU ambassadors have again failed to extend personal sanctions and a US Senate sanctions bill awaits a House vote, so Kyiv is pressing for movement at a stalled moment.
What happened
At a joint briefing in Kyiv with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called on Ukraine's partners to adopt a new approach: sanctions packages against Russia after every massive strike, rather than waiting for large consolidated packages. He named an "Anti-Ballistic Package" as one such measure and said partners should deprive Russia of the ability to produce ballistic missiles and drones and restrict its access to military technologies. Sybiha said Russia has learned to circumvent sanctions and continues to use Western- and European-made components in missile and drone production, noting that Ukraine has shared information on this with European partners. He argued that partial decisions are insufficient, that "Putin's terror is literally knocking on the doors of the European Union and NATO," and called for strong sanctions, further military support for Ukraine, and maximum pressure on Russia. Sybiha also urged increased pressure on Russia over attacks on Ukrainian ports, civilian vessels and Black Sea sea routes, which he said have halted maritime navigation and undermine global food security.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All three supplied sources are Ukrainian outlets (Укрінформ, Європейська правда, hromadske). They lead with Sybiha's call for strike-driven sanctions and frame the "Anti-Ballistic Package" as an urgent response to continued Russian mass strikes. They highlight the use of Western-made components in Russian missiles and drones, putting the European sanctions gap at the centre of the story, and foreground Sybiha's framing that "Putin's terror is knocking on the doors of the EU and NATO," linking Ukraine's strikes to broader Euro-Atlantic security.
Background
Russia has continued to carry out massive strikes on Ukraine, prompting renewed calls for tougher sanctions. EU personal sanctions were previously extended on 14 March, and a further attempt to renew them failed because two capitals sought changes to the lists of sanctioned individuals. Slovakia pressed until the last moment to have Russian oligarchs Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov removed from the EU sanctions list. In the United States, a sanctions bill approved by an overwhelming Senate majority last month is scheduled for a House of Representatives vote the following week. Ukrainian military intelligence chief Oleh Ivashchenko has assessed that, despite economic weakening, Russia may have enough resources to continue the war through 2027–2028.