Mohamed Garba
France’s new foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, has insisted that existing sanctions have fallen short of deterring President Vladimir Putin’s war machine and urged the United States and European Union to devise “devastating” measures that could “suffocate” Russia’s economy and compel Moscow to agree to peace talks.
Barrot made the comments just hours after the EU approved its 17th package of punitive measures, acknowledging that—even with restrictions on some 200 “shadow fleet” tankers and sanctions on dozens of entities—the invasion of Ukraine rages.
He will travel to Turkey on Thursday to meet U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, whose proposed U.S. sanctions bill includes 500% tariffs on nations continuing to import Russian oil. France and its European partners have previously threatened “massive” new sanctions if Moscow refuses a 30-day ceasefire, but achieving unanimity across the 27-member bloc remains a formidable challenge.
On Wednesday, EU foreign ministers formalized the bloc’s 17th round of sanctions against Russia, targeting roughly 200 vessels in the so-called “shadow fleet,” imposing restrictions on 30 companies dealing in dual-use goods, and blacklisting 75 individuals and entities linked to the Russian military-industrial complex. The package also broadens the legal framework for sanctioning actors behind hybrid threats—such as the deliberate destruction of submarine cables—and adds measures addressing human rights abuses by penalizing officials involved in the persecution of dissidents like Vladimir Kara-Murza and the late Alexei Navalny.
Speaking on BFMTV, Barrot warned that “so far sanctions have not dissuaded Vladimir Putin from continuing his war of aggression” and that Europe must “prepare to expand devastating sanctions that could suffocate once and for all Russia’s economy.” He emphasized that without significantly tightening the screws, the Kremlin would find ways to circumvent existing restrictions and maintain its war effort unabated.
Barrot underscored the importance of close coordination with Washington, noting his forthcoming discussions with Senator Graham in Istanbul. Graham’s draft sanctions bill envisions punitive tariffs of up to 500% on any country still importing Russian oil—an approach Barrot described as “a way of grabbing Russia by the throat.” France24 also reported that Barrot committed to aligning the timing and substance of upcoming EU and U.S. measures to maximize pressure on Moscow.
Earlier this week, the leaders of France, Britain, Germany, Poland, and Ukraine jointly called on Putin to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire beginning May 12—an appeal that went unheeded. President Emmanuel Macron reiterated on Tuesday that additional sanctions would follow swiftly should Moscow refuse to pause hostilities, explicitly mentioning potential targets in Russia’s financial services and energy sectors.
Despite the strong rhetoric, EU diplomats caution that securing unanimous agreement for further sanctions—particularly on Russia’s banking and energy giants—will be difficult, not least because of divergent national interests and Moscow’s adept sanctions-busting tactics. Some member states remain wary of measures that could push energy prices higher for European consumers or disrupt critical supply chains.
With Ukraine-Russia talks tentatively set to resume in Istanbul on Thursday, Barrot’s push for “devastating” new sanctions represents France’s bid to bolster the West’s leverage at the negotiating table. Whether his call will translate into concrete, coordinated action on both sides of the Atlantic—and whether such measures can finally bring President Putin to the table—remains to be seen.