René van der Gijp thinks the sanctions against Russia do not go far enough. We have to hit them really hard, even if that means we have to go on a petrol ration, he says. “Then I’ll go by train.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has started a bloodthirsty war in Ukraine. The sanctions imposed by the European Union are quite disappointing, because many countries think of their own economic interests. That is completely inappropriate in this situation, says René van der Gijp in his program VI Today.
Act hard
According to René, we must intervene strongly. “Of course all those countries check that they are not hit themselves, but you just have to put together a package where you also know that you will be hit yourself. Then I’ll leave my car for five months and go here by train.”
He continues: “He just needs to be dealt with very hard, that man. If you just see the images of those people sleeping in those stations with children. That man just attacked a country that wouldn’t hurt him… Just because he hated it. Can’t you just condemn that man as a war criminal?”
war criminal
Telegraaf journalist Wierd Duk: “That is how he will also be seen, as a war criminal. There is no other way. In that sense, Putin is also completely isolating himself internationally.”
Hélène Hendriks: “What still needs to happen before they close international payment transactions?”
Wierd: “I don’t understand that either. (…) Europe is, as always, divided. Soon they will hoist the Russian flag there. That is unimaginable. It’s a bit of a far-from-my-bed show for a lot of people, but it’s like the Russians take Rome or Berlin or London, isn’t it? Kiev is a European city.”
Isolate
Johan Derksen also argues for a very strict approach to Russia. “He just sits there until he dies. You have to isolate him. He no longer exists. All of Russia no longer exists.”
Hélène: “But don’t you risk a world war with that?”
René: “Yes, but you have to do something, don’t you? You can’t let him have his way, can you?”
Wierd: “Putin must be completely isolated internationally. Even if we don’t do anything militarily. We have to try and sanction him completely.”
soft package
René: “The sanctions will also affect us, but that’s not a bad thing, is it?”
Johan: “No, that is inherent in sanctions. I think the people of Ukraine feel quite let down.”
René: “You can’t just allow this, man? They just invade a neighboring country. That is the same as we take over Brussels tonight. What is it about man?”
Wilfred: “It’s strange that it’s such a soft package now.”
Johan: “That man’s state of mind is dangerous.”
Earlier in the evening, in the talk show HLF8, Erik Dijkstra also argued for stronger sanctions. “I’ve been hearing for days: ‘Sanctions, sanctions!’ But isn’t that what Putin just laughs at? If you really want something, you have to say: ‘We are going to completely stop with Russian gas.’ Russian gas and oil. Just cut it all out.”
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An excerpt from VI Today: