The European Union approves a new package of Russian sanctions on the anniversary of the war – DW – 02/25/2023

On Friday, the European Union approved a new round of sanctions against Russia, on Russia’s first anniversary All-out Russian invasion of Ukraine.

package is The tenth adopted by the member states of the European Union.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky During her visit to Kiev earlier this month that the EU would “aim to implement the tenth package of sanctions” within one year of the Russian invasion.

The new sanctions target entities that support the war and spread Russian propaganda

Sweden, which held the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union at the beginning of the year, said the new measures “target restrictive measures against individuals and entities that support war, spread propaganda or deliver drones used by Russia in the war.”

“Together, EU member states have imposed the most powerful and far-reaching sanctions ever to help Ukraine win the war,” Sweden’s presidency said on Twitter.

“The European Union stands united with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. We will continue our support for Ukraine for as long as it takes,” she added.

Why did you announce the sanctions so late in the evening?

EU diplomats agreed on almost all points of the proposed new package, but Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki criticized it as “too soft, too weak” during a visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev on Friday.

“We propose to include more people,” Morawiecki said in Kiev.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda reiterated his concerns. “I always expected harsher penalties,” he said. He told reporters he expected Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom to be targeted.

Agence France-Presse reported, citing diplomatic sources, that Poland was seeking to impose a ban on the import of synthetic rubber used in the manufacture of tires from Russia. Italy was keen on a long transition period to give its manufacturers more time to find new suppliers.

The resulting row has delayed an agreement on what Brussels insiders describe as a still very large sanctions package, according to AFP.

The United States announces new sanctions

The United States also announced on Friday that it had imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian companies, banks, manufacturers and individuals, specifically targeting entities that helped Russia evade sanctions on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s metals and mining sector along with arms dealers, technology organizations and arms manufacturers are specifically targeted with those helping to have a presence in countries ranging from the United Arab Emirates to Switzerland.

Who was punished in the last wave?

Dozens of financial institutions, including Russia’s largest non-state public bank, importers of microelectronics, and producers of carbon fiber, a key component of defense systems, have been hit with the sanctions.

Thirty people face sanctions over alleged links to Russia’s efforts to evade sanctions. They include Swiss-Italian businessman Walter Moretti and his businesses, Nurmurat Kurbanov, a Russian-Turkmen arms dealer who allegedly represented Russian and Belarusian defense companies abroad, and Russian businessman Alexander Yevgenievich Udodov who is the ex-husband’s brother-in-law. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

The US State Department followed up by imposing sanctions on more than 60 senior Russian government officials, including government ministers and regional leaders, as well as three state companies responsible for managing Russia’s nuclear weapons program.

Visa restrictions have also been placed on more than 1,200 Russian military personnel. Olga Skabieva, a leading state television propagandist, and Oleg Romanenko, who was in charge of Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant after it was seized by Russia, are also placed on the sanctions list.

What did the US Treasury Secretary say?

“Our sanctions have had a short-term and long-term impact, sharply sharpening Russia’s struggle to renew its weapons and its isolated economy,” US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

“Our actions today with our G7 partners demonstrate that we will stand by Ukraine for as long as we can,” Yellen added.

She noted that this measure is being taken alongside G7 partners with the intention of standing with Ukraine “for as long as possible”.

Her comments come while attending the two-day G20 Finance Ministers meeting in Bengaluru, India.

She told Russian officials in Friday’s meetings that “their continued work with the Kremlin makes them complicit in Putin’s atrocities.”

“They bear responsibility for the lives and livelihoods lost in Ukraine and the damage caused globally,” Yellen added.

What other financial sanctions for invading Ukraine have the US announced?

The US Department of Commerce and the Office of the US Trade Representative are also expected to increase pressure on Russia on Friday to mark the anniversary of the all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Based in Paris The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) also suspended Russia’s membership Friday.

“Our sanctions are strong, effective, and hit and squeeze all of Russia’s revenues,” said French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, at a G20 press conference.

“They discredit the Russian industry and undermine the war effort,” he added.

rm, ar / sms, jsi (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)