MP Nayyem leads MPs to demand sanctions against Medvedchuk

MP Mustafa Nayyem of
the Poroshenko Bloc announced on Oct. 3 he is preparing a draft resolution to
submit to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to impose
sanctions on Viktor Medvedchuk and his companies, including the 112 television
network. He said he already submitted appeals for sanctions to the president,
prime minister and security service head. So far, PM Volodymyr Groysman
responded with corresponding orders to his staff, Nayyem wrote on his Facebook
page. The sanctions would restrict the activity of Medvedchuk and his
companies, including mass media, in Ukraine, particularly during the 2019
election campaign.

Medvedchuk, a
Ukrainian citizen and entrepreneur, is a former lawyer whose daughter was baptized by
Russian President Putin. In the past, he has sponsored political projects
calling for Ukraine’s federalization. In August, he announced he was joining
the For Life party, which is currently in talks to unite with leaders of the
Opposition Bloc party. He was reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to
have indirect control of the 112 news network. He also is alleged to have
indirect control of the NewsOne television network through its director, Andriy
Portnov.

Zenon Zawada: Ukrainians can’t prevent its
Putin-aligned citizens from participating in the 2019 elections campaign based
on their political views, but they can prevent them based on their criminal
activity during a time of war. The sanctions could be based on rhetoric that
threatens Ukraine’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as
trade restrictions that Medvedchuk’s businesses in Russia could have violated.
This is the best strategy to limit the Kremlin’s influence on the outcome of
the presidential elections, scheduled for March, and parliamentary vote,
scheduled for October.

At the same time, we believe President Poroshenko sees the
Russian-oriented parties as a convenient political opponent, and in some cases
useful political allies. Nayyem has indicated that the president and his allies
(SBU Head Vasyl Hrytsak) have yet to respond to his appeal. We believe
Poroshenko will try to find a political solution, somewhat restricting the
activities of Russian-oriented forces but not fully.