Republished with full copyright permissions from The Boston News Tribune.

As the Davos World Economic Forum concludes, the stark contrast between the opulence enjoyed by the global elite and the struggles faced by ordinary Ukrainians has prompted a call to action from Razom We Stand. The organisation is urging immediate measures to address the Russian oil and gas exports that are perpetuating a cycle of violence and causing immense human suffering.

While the privileged few travel to Davos in climate-damaging private jets, the call for decisive action grows louder. Despite weak sanctions, loopholes in financial regulations continue to fund Russia’s brutal aggression, resulting in tragic losses for innocent Ukrainians each day. It is time for the international community to implement comprehensive sanctions and put an end to large-scale projects such as Arctic LNG2, which fuel Russia’s military ambitions.

The World Economic Forum’s own report on the impacts of climate change presents a grim forecast of 14.5 million additional deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic losses worldwide by 2050 directly due to climate change. This report starkly contrasts with the lavish arrivals at Davos and heavy investments in the fossil fuel industry, highlighting the disconnect between the elite and the humanitarian crises spurred on by climate disruption.

Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Director of Razom We Stand emphasizes that purchasing fossil fuels without imposing sanctions on Russia or its affiliated companies further fuels Putin’s war machine. The recent revelations from the World Economic Forum’s report coupled with the ongoing operations of Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project, funded in part by the West, paint a dangerous reality that demands immediate action.

The urgency to act against Russian energy exports is underscored by the departure of approximately 30.4M barrels of crude oil worth approximately €2.05 billion from Russian ports every week. It is clear that decisive steps must be taken to curb these exports and shift towards green alternatives, as highlighted by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s statement at Davos.

Europe’s increasing focus on wind and solar energy, coupled with a decline in energy prices and the rise of clean-energy production, provides a clear path towards severing ties with Russian oil and gas. The continent’s newfound energy independence presents a crucial opportunity to shape a more sustainable energy future.

It is imperative for world leaders to prioritize humanity over short-term economic gains and implement full sanctions against Russian energy exports. Razom We Stand is calling for a complete and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and a phased-out global investment in Russian oil and gas companies. The time for half-measures has passed; the imperative to act decisively to halt the cycle of violence and environmental degradation is now.

The urgent need for action against Russian energy exports is not just for the sake of Ukraine, but for the well-being of our shared planet. The world must unite in this effort to protect the lives of innocent civilians and mitigate the detrimental impact of climate change.