The speaker Alan Yanovich, reputed Geneva lawyer, and the moderator of the event, NUS Professor Michael Ewing-Chow paid special attention to the sanctions imposed by the West against the Russian Federation because of annexation of the Crimea and the Russian-terrorist threat in the Ukrainian Donbass.

Legal, political and security aspects, possible ways and conditions for abolishment of sanctions or stopping of their lift were disputed. Discussants agreed on the thought that no basic WTO provisions and rules are violated by countries that impose sanctions to force the aggressor to come back to common sense and observe undertaken international obligations.

Russia’s possible suspension of fulfilling its obligations under the WTO was talked about among other issues. It was stressed that Moscow was already resorting to numerous violations and even abuses ignoring the principles of membership in the Organization.

The experts assumed possibility for Ukraine to win lot of WTO claims against the Russian Federation due to manipulative bans and restrictions that are imposed on Ukrainian exporters.

Ambassador of Ukraine briefed the participants on Ukrainian Government’s measures aimed at not only rehabilitation but also at reforming of the Ukrainian economy under the circumstances of war waged by the Kremlin and Russian annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, as well as on some of the claims that were already filed by Ukraine against Russia and those intended to be filed.

The Crimea and objective reasons that forced the EU to ban import of products of the Crimean manufacturers were discussed too.

Participants of the seminar called for soonest kick out of the aggressor, restoration of peace and territorial integrity of Ukraine.