15 April 2021, Thursday, 14:13 166

NSDC Will Secretly Discuss Escalation In Donbas And Openly Consider Sanctions Against Smugglers – Presidential Office

Редактор: Daria Zubkova

The National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) will hold a meeting on Thursday, at which it will secretly discuss the escalation in Donbas, and openly consider the expansion of sanctions against smugglers.

Ukrainian News Agency learned this from a statement on the President's website.

"Today, on April 15, 2021, a meeting of the NSDC will be held under the chairmanship of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. One of the key issues on the NSDC's agenda, for obvious reasons, will be considered secretly and will relate to the discussion of the situation in Donbas," the statement reads.

The Office of the President notes that the state has up-to-date information on this issue, understands all the risks, calculates any options for the development of events and constantly correlates its positions with partners.

"Besides, members of the National Security Council will consider a second expanded package of personal sanctions against the organizers and perpetrators of smuggling schemes. The smuggling, which has become rampant over the decades, significantly undermines our economic security and requires urgent solutions," the statement reads.

Also, the meeting will discuss broader issues related to the economic security of the state, but which ones are not specified in the release.

Another issue on the agenda is cybersecurity.

"Separately, in the Miscellaneous section, special issues from the head of state will be submitted for consideration by the members of the collegial body," the statement says.

The announcement does not indicate what issues are in question.

The Office of the President promises to inform about the results of the NSDC meeting on its website.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on April 13, the Cabinet of Ministers developed a strategy for the development of the military-industrial complex for the approval of the National Security and Defense Council.