MANILA - Sanctions against Russia is not the best way to stop the war that erupted after it invaded Ukraine, according to a top official of the International Peace Bureau or IPB on Tuesday.

Reiner Braun, Executive Director of IPB, said in a media forum that the country is in fact “earning more” by selling oil and gas than they did before other countries imposed sanctions.

"Sanctions are not helpful in ending the war, and they are not helpful in beating the oligarchy is Russia. The Russian government is not really suffering, they earn more money," Braun said.

Unfortunately though, the sanctions have great impact on the way the Russian people live.

"It is not allowed for people to leave the country. They cannot fly to the Western countries. There is no exchange with their families in other countries… The government don’t care about that," said Braun.

"So from the results, sanction is not working. But who is suffering in the European countries? The normal people. The prices are going up. Maybe next winter will be cold because we don’t have.. enough oil," he added.

Instead of canceling him out, sanctions even drove Russians to be "united" for their President Vladimir Putin.

"It is absolutely opposite what our politicians are telling us. They are really going the wrong way," said Braun.

"Eighty percent of the people are behind Putin. For me, this is not a good sign… This Russian population is united again behind Putin."

But it is not just Russia benefiting from the sanctions.

Braun said the United States is the "winner of this situation" because some of their responses to the Ukraine- Russia war have detrimental effects not only ecologically but politically.

"In common sense, they are selling their stupid f***ing cars and f***ing oil to the Europeans and earning a lot of money... The climate possibilities, the climate reduction will occur, because we are now importing these brutal, unecological gas and oil from the United States. The f***ing cars, the f***ing oil which destroys not only in the US, the environment, they also have more emissions to Europe," he said.

"The independent development of more European countries of their own independent policies because they are following now the NATO rules, mainly the US rules. So the development of a more independent European Union super power is ending with this (Ukraine-Russia) war. Europe is a loser. The only winner is the... ruling class of United States. I’m totally surprised how stupid are the main leaders of Europe to follow this way, not the more autonomous way."

• West must brace for ‘long haul’ in Ukraine: NATO chief

The United Nations said last Friday there would be no victor from Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the conflict entered its 100th day and Moscow's forces pressed deeper into the eastern Donbas region.

"This war has and will have no winner. Rather, we have witnessed for 100 days what is lost: lives, homes, jobs and prospects," Amin Awad, Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine, said in a statement.

• Ukraine war 'will have no winner,' UN says on 100th day of fight

ALTERNATIVE

The IPB leader believes that to beef up security in Europe is to improve the countries’ “cooperative relations”, and this would include the participation of Russia.

"The only way to overcome authoritarian regime in Europe is for more cooperative relations. How we will overcome the communist system? By developing more relations between the Western countries in Europe," Braun said.

Instead of sanctions, Braun believes that the proposal of the Italian government of 4-point peace plan to the UN is the way to end the war: ceasefire, neutrality of Ukraine, negotiations and agreement.

University of the Philippines Professor Roland Simbulan believes that even in the Asian context, “more interaction” and “cultural ties” can counter military conflict.

"Exploring means where we can strengthen our relationship with other countries especially on the people to people level, I think this is going to help a lot in easing the tensions," Simbulan said.

"The reason why the tension between China and most of the ASEAN countries has remained at a very manageable level, it’s because of the very close economic and trade ties that China has with most of its ASEAN partners despite of the conflict and tension in the South China Sea. I think we should pursue this," he said.

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