With a global aviation meeting taking place in Montreal this week, Russia is using the opportunity to make a plea to ease sanctions on the country’s aviation sector…
Russia wants “unlawful coercive measures” reversed
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is the United Nations’ civil aviation agency, and it’s meeting this week in Montreal. This meeting typically takes place once every three years, and is used to discuss issues impacting the entire industry.
For example, I’ve already covered how there will be discussions about the global pilot retirement age being raised to 67. However, here’s a plea that may be even more controversial, as reported by Reuters. Russia is urging the ICAO to ease sanctions on spare parts and overflights, describing the global response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “unlawful coercive measures.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, western sanctions have cut off the country’s access to foreign made aircraft and spare parts, creating new challenges for keeping the country’s hundreds of Airbus and Boeing jets flying.
So Russian authorities are trying to negotiate relief from these sanctions, particularly related to spare parts, arguing that these are critical for the country’s aviation sector to be safe. As Russia describes this, “the ICAO is required to take all practical measures to prevent states from applying politically biased discriminatory and coercive measures in the field of international civil aviation.” This request comes shortly after the United States has lifted sanctions on Belarusian flag carrier Belavia.
Russia is arguing that these sanctions run counter to global rules. Russia is even trying to gain election to the ICAO’s 36-state governing council, after not winning enough votes for that position in 2022.
Russia is the world’s biggest country, so as you’d expect, the aviation sector is crucially important. The country’s aviation industry has really struggled with keeping planes flying, and that’s why we’ve seen a variety of safety issues, and we’ve also seen so many planes grounded.
Something’s gotta give with sanctions, eventually
I have to be honest, I’m always torn on the merit of these types of sanctions. Personally, I believe that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was 100% unlawful and unethical, and I’m disgusted by the senseless loss of life that we’re seeing. It’s unfathomable to think just how many people have lost their lives to this war in recent years, and all this time, no progress has been made.
At the same time, Putin clearly doesn’t care about the loss of life, and years of sanctions have accomplished very little. The reality is that Russia’s aviation industry isn’t going anywhere, and the planes will keep flying, whether they have functioning parts or not.
So are we just waiting for an Airbus or Boeing plane to crash in Russia? Is that something we’re supposed to celebrate, when it inevitably happens? Personally, I value human life regardless of what nationality it is, and I also think it’s important to separate people from their governments.
I don’t have all the answers here, and I don’t know what the right approach is. I just struggle with the concept. On the one hand, you don’t want to give in to a thug like Putin, and there’s rich irony to the country being concerned about “unlawful measures,” all of a sudden. On the other hand, actions have consequences, and these sanctions will lead to aviation fatalities sooner or later, and I’m not a fan of that.
Bottom line
Russia is once again asking global regulators to lift sanctions against the country’s aviation industry, calling them “unlawful coercive measures.” Of course it’s quite amusing to hear Russia concerned about laws and norms, given the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Yes, there’s no denying that there are serious safety concerns posed by the sanctions facing the country’s aviation sector. At the same time, the easy solution is for Putin to stop his aggression against Ukraine, rather than accusing international regulators of unlawful actions.
I can’t imagine that much will come of this, but it should be quite an interesting ICAO meeting, especially with Russia trying to regain a seat on the ICAO’s 36-state governing council.
What do you make of Russia requesting aviation sanctions be eased?
