Open for signatureElectronice-7819 · Parliament 45

Exclude Russia from the WTO

Sign on the House of Commons website

Petitioners ask the House of Commons to call on the international community, the WTO, its members and the WTO General Council to exclude Russia from the World Trade Organization.

Why we would sign this petition

  • It would reduce Russia’s privileged access to global markets and advanced technologies that the petitioners say help finance its military aggression, potentially diminishing its capacity to wage war.
  • It would reinforce international norms by attaching tangible trade consequences to unprovoked invasion, signalling that breaches of peace have economic costs.
  • It would demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine and prioritise protecting civilian lives over short-term economic considerations.

Why we wouldn’t sign this petition

  • Excluding a major WTO member could disrupt international trade and supply chains, causing short-term economic costs for other countries and businesses.
  • Expelling Russia from the WTO is legally and politically complex; securing agreement among members may be difficult and slow, limiting immediate effectiveness.
  • Economic isolation may have unintended effects, such as driving Russia toward alternative partners, worsening civilian hardship, or failing to change state behaviour as intended.

The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the House of Commons Russia invaded and occupied Crimea and part of Eastern Ukraine in 2014, and, in 2022, Russia lunched its full-scale invasion and war of aggression against Ukraine; Russian military forces and intelligence are waging cyberattacks, sabotage against critical infrastructures, spreading propaganda and disinformation, and meddling in elections in democratic countries worldwide; Russia's brutal and illegal war in Ukraine violates every core principle of global peace, order, justice, and cooperation that the World Trade Organization (WTO) stands for; Right now, Russia’s WTO membership gives it privileged access to global markets and advanced technologies, facilitating its military and its terrorist activities. This economic lifeline helps fund its military aggression and deepens the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine which spreads around the world. International trade accounts for a major share of Russia's economy. Cutting off this access will directly weaken its war chest and isolate the regime economically; and Allowing Russia to remain in the WTO undermines the credibility of international law and sends a dangerous signal that unprovoked invasions carry no major trade consequences. Upholding global peace and protecting innocent lives must outweigh any short-term economic concerns. We, the undersigned, citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to call on the international community, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), its member states, and the WTO General Council to Exclude Russia from the WTO.

Government response

No government response is available yet.