On Tuesday, August 13, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted as a basis the Government's bill “On the sanctions" (№4453a). 243 MPs supported the document.

 The Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk, while introducing the draft law, stressed that the mentioned legislative act enables the Ukrainian state to impose sanctions against states-aggressors, their legal and natural persons and property.

  “It concerns the fact that Ukraine will obtain the right, through a decision of the National Defense and Security Council to impose sanctions targeting to protect our national interests and protect the citizens of Ukraine," he said.

 The grounds for introducing sanctions, pursuant to the draft law, can be open or hidden armed aggression against the Ukrainian state; possible risk to the life and health of Ukrainian citizens; illegal expropriation of Ukrainian property; taking hostages; making barriers to sustainable economic development of the Ukrainian state.

  "Anyone who infringes on the rights of Ukrainians should know that Ukraine in synergy with our western partners will impose sanctions against it, the same way the sanctions are imposed by the G7 countries against the Russian Federation", - said the Head of Government.

 In general, according to Arseniy Yatseniuk, the bill affords to introduce 29 types of sanctions, including an assets freeze, a travel ban, a transportation ban, seizure of assets, restrictions to use radio frequency resource, restrictions to use Internet and introduction of a number of economic and financial leverages against the states- aggressors, against their companies and physical persons.

 The head of Government stressed that, since 2005 Ukraine hadn’t had any legal possibility to join the sanctions of the European Union, as Ukraine lacks certain legislation base that would give an opportunity to defend the interests of Ukraine and “together with our western partners put pressure on the aggressors and invaders, such as the Russian Federation today".

 “We have received support from the West. But now we must demonstrate to the world that we are also capable of protecting ourselves,” he stressed.

 "We are well aware that sanctions will have consequences for the Ukrainian economy as well. But this is the price, which is nothing as compared to the number of victims among Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian population, who are shot by terrorists, sponsored by the Russian Federation", - said the Head of Government.

 Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed that the adoption of this law is "the answer to the question, whether it is Ukraine’s Parliament or the Parliament of another state": "It is a matter of national dignity. If we ask someone to protect us, then we should demonstrate first we are capable to protect ourselves. Our soldiers defend the country, now let the Parliament defend the country."