Bloc officers say 200 folks and entities have been added to the sanctions listing, bringing the overall to 2,000.
European Union members have authorised a thirteenth bundle of sanctions towards Russia over its war in Ukraine, banning almost 200 further entities and people accused of involvement within the two-year battle.
“EU Ambassadors simply agreed in precept on a thirteenth bundle of sanctions within the framework of Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine,” Belgium, which holds the rotating EU presidency, mentioned on X on Wednesday, calling it “one of many broadest authorised by the EU”.
The sanctions shall be formally authorised by the 27-nation bloc on February 24, the day in 2022 when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine.
“I welcome the settlement on our thirteenth sanctions bundle towards Russia. We should preserve degrading Putin’s struggle machine,” European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media.
I welcome the settlement on our thirteenth sanctions bundle towards Russia
⁰We should preserve degrading Putin’s struggle machine.
⁰With 2000 listings in complete, we preserve the stress excessive on the Kremlin.
⁰We are additionally additional reducing Russia’s entry to drones. https://t.co/AfSxsEUB8x— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 21, 2024
EU representatives in Brussels signed off on the bundle, which targets people and organisations linked to the Russian authorities and the invasion.
EU overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell mentioned 200 folks and entities have been added to the sanctions listing, bringing the overall to 2,000.
“With this bundle, we’re taking extra motion towards entities concerned in circumvention, the defence and army sectors,” Borrell mentioned on X.
The EU just lately focused firms primarily based in China, Uzbekistan, Iran and the United Arab Emirates which might be allegedly concerned in circumventing the bloc’s sanctions.
The most recent measures go after the Russian weapons trade’s entry to parts to fabricate drones, diplomats advised the German Press Company dpa. Firms within the bloc wouldn’t be allowed to promote items and applied sciences with army connections to Russia.
The main target is on entities and people which might be a part of Russia’s army industrial complicated and people concerned in trafficking and kidnapping Ukrainian children, EU sources advised the Reuters information company. One North Korean and one Belarusian agency have been additionally added, the sources mentioned.
The businesses within the newest spherical are primarily Russian and likewise embrace three mainland Chinese language companies and one Hong Kong-based firm, Reuters reported.
Nonetheless, the recent sanctions don’t include wide-ranging measures to impression particular financial sectors.
A earlier spherical of EU measures included a prohibition on importing diamonds and jewelry from Russia.
A far-reaching ban on imports of crude oil, coal, metal, gold and luxurious items in addition to measures aimed toward banks and monetary establishments has been in place for a while.
Whereas Western allies’ concentrate on Ukraine has been winding down amid war fatigue, issues over the extreme prices of the struggle and the battle in Gaza, the death final week of Russian opposition chief Alexey Navalny has given a recent impetus to impose new sanctions.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden mentioned the United States will even announce new financial restrictions on Russia. Whereas Biden didn’t present particulars, White Home Nationwide Safety Adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned the bundle will goal a variety of things, together with Russia’s defence and industrial bases, together with sources of income for the economic system.