France urges new sanctions to ‘suffocate’ Russian economy

PARIS: The United States and Europe must put together new sanctions to “suffocate” Russia’s economy in order to force Vladimir Putin to end the war against Ukraine, France’s foreign minister said on Wednesday.

The EU on Wednesday approved a fresh package of sanctions on Russia, but Jean-Noel Barrot pointed out that multiple rounds of punitive measures have failed to halt Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year.

“We will have to go further, because these massive sanctions have not yet deterred Vladimir Putin from continuing his war of aggression against Ukraine,” Barrot told broadcaster BFMTV.

“We must prepare to impose devastating sanctions that could suffocate the Russian economy once and for all,” he said.