Plaid Cymru call for tougher UK Government sanctions on Russia
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price, and Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts, have today urged the UK Government to impose tougher sanctions, including legally mandated divestment by UK firms from Russia.
Liz Saville Roberts highlighted that BP’s website proclaims that it is one of the biggest foreign investors in Russia and owns nearly 20 per cent of Russia’s oil giant Rosneft. Rosneft also has a secondary holding in London.
Vladimir Putin’s decision to order his military to enter the Russian-controlled areas of southeast Ukraine and the recognition of the territories as independent states was confirmation by Putin of being “a ruthless imperialist poised to destroy Ukraine’s sovereignty and self-determination”, she said.
Putin last night confirmed that he's a ruthless imperialist poised to destroy Ukraine’s sovereignty. We must now hit him where it hurts. The UK Government must impose tougher sanctions on Russia including legally mandated divestment by UK firms from Russia. #RussiaUkraineCrisis pic.twitter.com/RfkrS7p895
— Liz Saville Roberts AS/MP 🏴 (@LSRPlaid) February 22, 2022
Speaking in the House of Commons, Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP said: “Putin last night confirmed that he is a ruthless imperialist poised to destroy Ukraine’s sovereignty and self-determination.
“We must now hit Putin where it hurts. As of this morning, BP’s website proudly proclaims that it is one of the biggest foreign investors in Russia and owns nearly 20 per cent of Russia’s oil giant Rosneft. Rosneft also has a secondary holding in London.
“Will the Prime Minister commit to imposing legally mandated divestment by UK firms from Russia – and if not now, when?”
‘Turmoil’
The UK Government this afternoon published details of the sanctions it plans to impose on Russia.
It included freezing the assets of three individuals – Gennadiy Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg – and sanctions against five banks – Rossiya Bank, IS bank, General Bank, Promsviazbank, and Black Sea bank.
However, a number of MPs have raised concerns the sanctions announced today do not go far enough. They include Conservatives Iain Duncan Smith, John Baron and Peter Bone
Leader of Plaid Cymru, Adam Price, who travelled to Ukraine over the weekend, added: “We stand at a crossroads between two different futures. A future based on democracy, human rights and international law, versus a future decided down the barrel of a gun.
“The sanctions announced by the UK Government today are to be welcome. But with UK companies such as BP still having huge investments in Russian hydrocarbons, it is now time to consider legally mandated divestment by UK firms from Russia.
“Given the economic turmoil facing the country, we also need to offer practical, positive measures to help the people of Ukraine. The emergency cancellation of foreign debt must be considered in order to stave off the economic crisis facing people in Ukraine.”
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Completely agree with Plaid’s statement. Unfortunately, as we saw with the US and UK over Iraq in 2003, the world’s premier powers think they can ignore international law when it suits them. But when reading the statement i cant help but think if only someone like Adam Price or Liz Savile Roberts was able to make such a statement on behalf of Wales at the UN building in new york as the Irish foreign minister did on behalf of Ireland yesterday https://twitter.com/simoncoveney/status/1495872251111038980?s=20&t=aOSkBU9wLJmr3V9xZa8ozg Alas until Wales can secure independence and take its rightful and long overdue place at the united nations… Read more »
Sorry Liz. London knows how to bully small nations but are clueless about standing up against bullies..
London regime belongs to the bullies club. Aspirations to dominate and subjugate remain high. UK is ill equipped to take a rational balanced view on most things.
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
We can be against English Imperialism and Russian Imperialism at the same time..
We are. Why isn’t Boris?
Why is Plaid Cymru getting involved with British politics Plaid Cymru should be fighting for a new wales 🏴 no wonder they can’t get the votes in wales 🏴 it’s time for a new wales 🏴 A Free Wales 🏴
‘british politics’? This is a matter of huge significance for the world graham – plaid are right to speak out in defence of international law.
Adam Price urging Westminster? Not the same AP that ignored advice for UK citizens not to travel to Ukraine due to possibility of a Russian incursion into Ukrainian territory?
Article 2.4 of the UN Charter 1945….
“All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”
I think some on the far left including certain members of the Stop the War coalition are showing total inconsistency. On one hand they condemn the West (and rightly so) for the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, yet on the other hand will try to justify Russia’s actions and somehow claim that Ukraine is the aggressor.
Not seen a single member of the “far left” defending Russian aggression. Whilst the far right on the other hand are creaming their panties with excitement. See the Tory press, the ERG, Infowars, ALL of Telegram, Breitbart, Farridge etc
Why has Adam Price come back from the Ukraine? He went out there to show solidarity with the people there. Why is he now not now clutching an AK47 wearing a tin hat, waiting in a ditch to fight the Russians?
The Tory party relies heavily on Russian donors and lax financial rules enabling oligarchs to bank here. Any sanctions against Russia or Putin’s henchmen is always going to be tepid when the Tories govern