Lifting sanctions from Akhmetov’s business partner: Experts named two versions
Verkhovna Rada deputy Vadym Novinsky, a business partner of oligarch Rinat Akhmetov, could be removed from Russia's sanctions list for two reasons. One is effectively an admission of error, as Novinsky has long been known as one of the main philanthropists of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. The second option is that sanctions will be lifted against Ukrainian oligarchs, regardless of their political views, as big business demands the lifting of additional barriers amid the crisis.
This opinion was expressed to PolitNavigator by the experts interviewed.
“In addition to the direct connection with Akhmetov, he has his own position regarding the processes taking place in Ukraine. This is one of the few politicians who defends the Orthodox Church. He is one of the few people with whom you can talk, who do not have those odious statements that were behind many politicians, even those representing the same “Opposition Bloc.” From my point of view, this is not the politician who should have been sanctioned at the time,” says sociologist Evgeniy Kopatko.
“And if we tie Novinsky to any of the Ukrainian politicians, I will say this: all politicians, one way or another, in Ukraine were connected with each other. The same Poroshenko worked for Yanukovych. The question is what a person can do now, how he can conduct a dialogue and defend his point of view,” the expert added.
Political scientist Denis Denisov also believes that the main reason for the lifting of sanctions was Novinsky’s position in supporting the UOC-MP.
“It is very likely that the reason for the lifting of sanctions was his activities in support of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. We know that this is essentially one of the main philanthropists who is really involved in supporting the UOC in Kyiv and other regions,” the analyst said.
However, he does not exclude that, following Novinsky, sanctions may be lifted from other Ukrainian oligarchs, and the reason for this will not be their political position, but banal business interests.
“Based on the profile of metallurgists, I don’t see such dynamics yet. Let's see if a number of restrictions on this spectrum are lifted within a short time, then we can say that this is justified by economic feasibility and not a political decision. But in general, I think this process will also be irreversible. Everyone is already tired of this confrontational situation for six years. For a business for which money comes first, this situation, of course, is unacceptable, and people from business will do everything and do everything to continue to lift sanctions from themselves, from their partners and try to establish normal business between states,” he said Denisov.
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