Leaders of the seven largest industrial nations announced new measures
today to try and punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. The steps
are designed to target Russia's economy and military long term.
And in the meantime, Russia's total war in Ukraine marches violently
on
Russia's battlefield of choice today a shopping mall. Moscow continues
to claim its targets are military. The Ukrainian officials said.
The only target of two Russian missiles today was full of more than
1000 civilians shopping
Present, Selenski warned the death toll could be quote unimaginable.
800 miles away in the Bavarian Alps. Seven leaders spoke to the Lansky
via video link told them it is not time to negotiate with Russia
and urged them to send more weapons and imposed more sanctions.
Putin is counting on from the beginning.
It's number how NATO would
be seven.
Splinter and we haven't and we're not going down. So seven leading
industrial countries have so far provided Ukraine more than $2.8
billion in humanitarian assistance.
Today. They promised to support the country as long as it takes and
unveiled new steps. A ban on Russian gold price cap on Russian oil
sanctions on Russian defense companies, military units accused of
war crimes and officials operating in Ukraine and hire US tariffs
on Russian goods with proceeds used to reconstruct Ukraine This week.
The most advanced US weapons sent to Ukraine arrived.
In the dead of the night, Ukrainian soldiers fired the high mobility,
advanced rocket system or high Mars. Ukraine, asked for 60
administration is sending eight with ammunition whose range is capped
at 40 Miles.
A senior administration official told PBS news Hour today. The U.
S will also send advanced air defense weapons known as Nace ums,
but those weapons haven't stopped Moscow's military.
Last week, Russia destroyed and captured several Donetsk, formerly
Ukraine's administrative center in Luhansk, and today, it's quote
raining fire down on the twin city of Lissy Chance from which Ludmila
fled. What can I tell you? The walls and windows were shaking. You
don't know where to hide.
For more on the latest round of sanctions from the G seven on Russia.
We turn to Alina Polyakova, president of the Center for European
Policy Analysis, a nonpartisan organization that seeks to promote
US European relations and Democratic
Values the leader Polyakova. Welcome back to the news hour. Thank
you very much. U. S officials said today that a price cap on Russian
oil was among the most important steps that they were going to take
from the G seven. How would that work and could it actually reduced
Russian income?
Well, it's great to be back on the show. Nick is always on the cap
on the oil, you know, it's very unclear how that would be implemented
in in in real life. In real terms, Russia has expanded significantly
its exports to Asia, particularly India and China, where it's been
selling discounted energy, especially oil.
To those countries have been happily buying it up. It seems as Europe
starts to cut down on its energy imports from Russia. So imposing
a cap where you only have the G seven involved, and not those other
countries seems like it's going to be very, very difficult.
The G seven is also prohibiting Russian gold is that something that
could actually reduce Russian income?
I think the big picture to keep in mind here is that the sanctions
are already having effects on the Russian economy. The Russian economy
is going to be contracting Russian, uh, inflation of the ruble as
expected to hit to hit about 20% so long term, these efforts from
the G seven and others will leave the Russian economy incredibly
weekend.
I think we're talking about a very different question here. We're
talking about the question of whether these sanctions will have a
short term immediate effect on Russia's military strategies and its
ability to carry out the war on the ground and Ukraine so far, unfortunately,
the answer that question has been no.
Russia is still carrying out and incredibly brutal offensive in Ukraine.
Sanctions have not affected its military capabilities so far, and
that is the unfortunately at reality that we face. The sanctions
are having an effect, but it's much more of a long term effect versus
a short term effect.
Perhaps the obvious question, then is. Are there steps that you believe
the West should be taking to have more of a short term impact that
can actually change Vladimir Putin's behavior inside of Ukraine now?
Well, I think Mr Putin believes that he has time on his side right
now. He believes that he has the ability to carry out the war much
longer than the Western alliance will stay united in solidarity with
Ukraine, So the meeting of the G seven was very, very important for
that reason is sent a very clear message of unity.
In the short term. We need to listen to what President Zelensky and
the Ukrainians are asking for. Ukraine needs many, many more of those
high advanced MLRS systems that we're talking about Mars and others.
Exactly and and others as well to be able to push back the Russian
offensive. There is a clear concern from NATO officials and Ukrainians
as well that the Russians might take a break.
Regroup and then go back and re launched their offensive potentially
going after Ukraine's capital Kiev yet again, so we're in a very,
very dangerous territory right now, and we the best thing we can
do is increased military and defense supplies to Ukraine immediately,
and certainly senior U. S. Officials are worried that Russia has
definitely not giving up on the longer term.
Idea of capturing Kiev back to the sanctions, I wonder are average
Russians suffering because of these sanctions?
You know, certainly they are. I mean, we've seen many sanctions affecting
average Russians in terms of their ability to travel, Certainly,
um, outside of Russia and their ability to purchase foreign goods
and services.
But at the end of the day, the criminal lead Mr Putin among them,
of course, um, they don't care about the living conditions of the
Russian population. Living standards are declining. They're expected
decline further and further as the sanctions take hold in the medium
and long term.
Unfortunately, the criminal lead care much more about their direct
revenues, how much they're able to take to line their pockets. And
all of that primarily comes from Russia's energy exports. So until
Russia is no longer able to export those energy sources in no longer
has a market.
For those energy exports. Unfortunately, those revenues will keep
flowing and that is what is feeding the Russian war machine and the
Russian people are suffering as a result.
But the Russian elite those in power making these decisions don't
particularly seem to care about the condition of the Russian people.
Because I got about 35 seconds left, So just ask you quickly about
companies that I haven't asked you about.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine. Obviously, hundreds of Western companies
have left the country is that something that people will notice in
the Kremlin and the elite and could change their behavior.
I think certainly Russians have been noticing that you know, there's
no more McDonald's, for example, in Russia, but now we will we've
seen happen is McDonald's, for example, sold off all of its, uh,
franchises to a Russian oligarch.
Who's now basically replaced McDonald's with the Russian brand, and
that's what we're seeing The Russian government do is kind of provide
government funded alternatives even to things like Instagram with
the Russian government ban McDonald's other services. The Russians
are used to so rushing this suddenly noticing whether it's affecting
them whether they care
My It seems to me that they unfortunately do not to be clear that
poor the Russian population is, the more they have to think about
their daily needs going to support my kids.
Where's my pension going to come from and cover my prescription drugs?
Things of that nature. The more that benefits the Kremlin, which
could carry out anything it wants in the foreign policy domain, while
the Russian people have to make ends meet, and don't worry so much
about what's happening abroad.
Alina Polyakova. Always a pleasure. Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Yeah.