The Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuk, while in Washington, urged American lawmakers to implement robust sanctions against the Russian Federation and warned of the dangers of prolonged negotiations with Moscow.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Negotiations and Calls for “Hellish Sanctions”
As part of Ukraine Week 2026, Stefanchuk held a series of meetings in the U.S. capital with high-ranking officials from Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. Key topics of discussion included strengthening sanctions and further financial and military support for Kyiv. Special attention was paid to the effectiveness of existing restrictions and the need to close any loopholes for Russia that allow it to finance aggression and circumvent Western sanctions, particularly through the so-called shadow fleet for exporting energy resources.
“When it comes to sanctions, it is very important to ensure that these sanctions are fair and hellish for Russia,” he said, adding that Kyiv is less concerned about new sanction packages than about the effectiveness of current measures.
During the discussions, Stefanchuk emphasized the importance of tough sanctions that should limit Russia’s resources for waging war, and he also pointed out the attacks by the Russian Federation on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure. Speaking at the 20th Ukrainian Prayer Breakfast in Washington, he stressed that strikes on Ukraine’s energy system in winter constitute deliberate terror against the civilian population.
Peace Negotiations and Ukraine’s Position
In response to questions about the duration of peace negotiations, Stefanchuk emphasized that Ukraine seeks a just and sustainable peace that would prevent any future aggression from Russia after any agreements are signed. He reminded that Kyiv is ready for diplomatic solutions and close cooperation with American partners. At the same time, he warned that Russia is using the negotiation process to buy time and weaken Western support.
The latest rounds of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, which took place in Abu Dhabi (UAE) on January 23-24 and February 4-5 with U.S. mediation, did not yield a breakthrough resolution regarding the cessation of hostilities. However, the parties managed to agree on a prisoner exchange – the first in the last five months.
According to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, the negotiations on February 4 and 5 were “constructive and focused on how to create conditions for a lasting peace,” and also included discussions on a ceasefire. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted a reduction in the number of open issues, but the “most difficult” ones remain unresolved, particularly territorial issues.
Russia insists on the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from part of the Donetsk region that it currently does not control. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized in December that any territorial decisions must be made by the people of Ukraine – through elections or a referendum.
On February 5, Zelensky announced a planned new meeting of delegations from Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia within the framework of the negotiation process, without specifying an exact date. He later noted that the U.S. aims to end the war by summer and proposed to hold another round of negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow in Miami (USA) within the next week.