03/08/2022, 16:38

Complete rewrite of the petition to focus only on one specific problem, in order to increase its effectiveness.


New title: Embargo Russian Fuels – Bankrupt Putin – Initiative for severe sanctions against Russia // #EmbargoRussianFuels #bankruptPutin

New petition description:

My relatives are at the time of writing in Kyiv and its vicinity. Apart from donations to military equipment, donations to humanitarian aid and a potential ride from the Ukrainian border to our home, I have no way to truly help them.

In television, we see pictures of bombarded Kharkiv and Chernihiv, damaged houses in Kyiv, and listen as the politicians on one side talk about severe sanctions and on the other defend the importance of trade with Russia.

I do not wish to downplay the problems of those who as a result of sanctions could get into financial straits, but at the end of the day it is only money. More money can be earned, but lives lost are lost for good.

I have to try and contribute to ending this conflict, even if some would consider it hopeless. Because the real hopelessness would be to do nothing when your loved ones send you messages like: “I hope we survive this night.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Words of support will not end this war, a military help of the West is still unlikely and the current sanctions against Russia are not sufficient.sufficient enough. For if they were sufficient,sufficient enough, the war would be over.The worldWe can no longercannot wait any more for Russia to slowly financially bleed outout, financially.we Themust longerhit Putin’s regime where it hurts.

That is why we demand an immediate embargo on Russian fossil fuels, particularly natural gas and oil.

By signing this conflictpetition continues,we theaccept greaterconsequences willthis becan thehave numberon our comfort and standard of causalities, cultural and material damage, and at the end of the day even our expense for helping Ukraine and its citizens. Severe enough sanctions will affect us,living but even if we had to organize public fund-raisers to support our fellow citizens, it is incomparable to the suffering of the Ukrainian people, costs of a prolonged conflict and implications to our own security in the case of success of thethis Russian aggression.

The aim of this initiativepetition is unitingto civilunite societythose inwho supportcall offor tighter sanctions andbehind measuresone againstspecific the Russian aggression and ending this war as quickly as possible. Currently we strive for the following:The most severe sanctions possible against Russian oligarchs, including a complete disconnect from SWIFT. The main reason for keeping at least some of the banks in SWIFT is trading with Russian gas and oil, which are two of the most important sources of income for Russian oligarchs, whom these sanctions must target in the first place. Sanctions against ordinary citizens are not effective enough, because in the authoritarian Russia perhaps not even famine or public rioting could make Putin back away, but a revolt of oligarchs would do it for sure.Equivalent sanctions against Belarusian dictator Lukashenko, whose regime takes part in this invasion alongside Russia. Less allies Putin has, the better. Sanctions again needmeasure to targetpush Lukashenkothrough himself and the people around him for the same reasons as in the case of Russia.Pressure on China to abandon support of Russia, even by the means of sanctions. Even if we completely isolate Russia, trade with China could keep the Russian government afloat. Other countries have to work towards discouraging China from supporting Putin’s regime, even if that means sanctions against China.together.

The goal is not to forever cut the trade ties with either of these countries, but to end this war as soon as possible, so that the world can get back to normal. If Putin loses the support of China, Belarus and the Russian oligarchs, the war will be over.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*** What do we need you to do right now ***

1. Sign this petition.
2. Share this petition. Short link: openpetition.eu/!bankruptputin
3. Read information sent to your e-mail address you used for signing.

**** What is the long-term plan ****

• Phase 1: approachinggaining as many people around us as we can to gain the necessary support for other phases. – This goes on right now via this petition.supporters
• Phase 2: connecting or integrating with other suchinitiatives initiatives,like ourselves
• Phase 3: gaining support of citizens’ associations and public figures. It is quite possible that during this phase we will integrate with another initiative. They already exist but it seems that none of them at this point deal with the question of China for example. Nevertheless, it is more important to work together to achieve at least some of our goals, instead of spreading ourselves thin and trying to achieve everything at once. Even a single sanction could decide if and when Putin’s regime goes bankrupt.figures
• Phase 3:4: putting pressure on political representatives to put these measures into practice. At the end of the day it will be up to politicians to get things done. As of yet, they can hide behind the notion that the public does not wish for more severe sanctions. We must persuade them otherwise.In all three phases we will be seeking supporters in other countries. If we are successful, the resulting movement could push politiciansthis aroundembargo the world to be more decisive when it comes to Russia. But every such movement begins with the first few individuals.through

***** In what other ways could you help *****

• Help with the campaign: if you have experience with such things, do not hesitate to contact the author of this petition – there is a button “Question to the initiator” below the petition.
• Help with translation and organization in other countries: if you are not from the Czech Republic or even if you just speak a different language than Czech and want to help, please let us know as well. You may translate the petition using the button “New language version” under the petition.
• Support other petitions like this one: Anything that helps spreading the message. One of the more prominent petitions on the topic of Russian fuel embargo is addressed to the US Congress: www.change.org/p/congress-of-the-united-states-maximum-sanctions-for-putin-s-russia
• Be active: rouse the people around you, attend protests, write to politicians. #bankruptPutin already floats around onOn social media.media, for example, you can use the hashtag #EmbargoRussianFuels.
• Help wherever you can: every kind of help to Ukraine and its citizens could mean the difference between victory and defeat, between hope and suffering. We did not cause this crisis, but we can help solving it.

MySanctions relativesagainst ordinary citizens are atnot effective enough, because in the timeauthoritarian Russia, perhaps not even famine or public rioting could make Putin back away, but a revolt of writingoligarchs would do it for sure. That is why sanctions must target the oligarchs in Kyivparticular, and itsone vicinity.of their most important sources of income is the trade with oil and natural gas. Maintaining the trade with these resources was also one of the main reasons why several Russian banks were kept in SWIFT.

ApartThe frompurpose donationsof sanctions against Russia is not to militaryforever equipment,cut donationsour mutual trade ties, but to humanitarian aid and a potential ride fromend the Ukrainianwar borderas quickly as possible, so that the world can get back to ournormal. home,That Iis why we have noto waygo for the most severe sanctions possible, despite their high cost, because the cost of not imposing these sanctions is even higher.

Given the reluctance of the West to trulyengage help them.Sure, like many others I write to politicians, sign petitions, and attend demonstrations, but it still seems to me that concrete measures which could lead to endingin this conflict on a military level, sanctions are sounding few and far between. One of these few iscurrently the requestonly for closure of Ukrainian air-space known as “Close the sky”. Unfortunately, it is still uncertain whether this can happen. That does not meantool we shouldhave stopat our efforts,disposal. but maybeIf we should not put all of our bets on this one card.In television, we see pictures of bombarded Kharkiv and Chernihiv, damaged houses in Kyiv, and listen as the politicians on one side talk about severe sanctions and on the other defend the importance of Russian gas.I do not wishuse them to downplaytheir full capacity, we are risking this Russian aggression being successful, which would mean danger for other countries in the problemsfuture, since it would be obvious that the West is powerless against this kind of thoseaggression. whoWhilst asthe alonger resultthis conflict continues, the greater will be the amount of sanctionscasualties, couldproperty getand intocultural financialdamages straits, butand at the end of the day even our own expenses for helping Ukraine and its citizens. It is therefore in our best interest to make this war end as quickly as possible by a defeat of Russia.

Pushing the embargo on fuels through would mean opening up the doors for other sanctions, not only on technical level, such as in the case of the complete disconnect from SWIFT, but also by showing the political representation our willingness to accept sanctions which will impact our comfort and standard of living.

Still, it would not be practical to try and push through more of our demands at once, since more demands means higher chance of none being met. Similar can be said about demands that are not specific enough. Slogans like “end the war” or “tighten up sanctions” are so vague that politicians can always claim they are doing their best, even when they do very little. This unfortunately also shows on our current results.

Despite the overwhelming public support for Ukraine and a fair number of initiatives similar to this one, there is only money.one Moreslogan moneywith cana beconcrete earned, but lives lost are lost for good. Not to mentiondemand that it seems to me more and more that our “dependence” on Russian gas actually comes from lobby influence, but even if that was not so, I cannot reconcile with us livingis in ageneral world where we seriously measure human life against a heating bill. Or could this money repay the suffering of millions of Ukrainians who lost their homes or their loved ones? Could moneyuse – should the worst come to pass – buy me a grandmother?Ukrainians fight for the fate of their country and perhaps the entire Europe. The least I can do is to fight using the tools of democratic society. I have no illusions that this petition could become a seed of something as powerful as “Close the sky” but forof the sakeinitiative demanding protection of mythe lovedair-space above Ukraine. Although, as of yet, they did not succeed in their efforts, they are still the only ones, Iwho atgained leastuniversal support across many countries. This shows us that the biggest chance of success have toinitiatives try.with such demands that are specific, comprehensible, could significantly help Ukraine and are directly demanded by the representatives of Ukraine themselves.

Even if this petition never comes close to this and the only thing Iit achieveachieves is to bringbrining a couple of individuals to something bigger and more successful, then every such individual could be the proverbial pebble that starts the avalanche.