New EU sanctions against Russia. This is the fifth "package" of measures taken by Brussels against Moscow, after the invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24th.
The new sanctions prepared by the Commission chaired by Ursula Von der Leyen include, among other things, a stop to the import of coal from Russia (which is worth 4 billion euros a year) and a ban on access to European ports for ships from Moscow. or in any case belonging to Russian companies with some exceptions regarding the transport of food products, humanitarian aid and energy. Access to the EU will also be denied to Russian and Belarusian road transport companies. Among the further measures, there are also bans on the export of products to Russia, including advanced semiconductors, for a value of around 10 billion euros.
Furthermore, the package provides for a total stop to transactions involving four key Russian banks ", including VTB, the second most important institution in the country. The 4 banks, explains von
der Leyen, "represent 23% of the Russian banking sector market and will further weaken the banking system" in Moscow.
"We are not done with the fifth package," Von der Leyen said. “We are working on additional sanctions that include oil and we are reflecting on some proposals presented by member countries such as taxing" the import of energy from Russia or the stable "specific payment channels as blocked deposits. Taking a clear position is not only crucial for Europe but for the whole world. The atrocities committed in Bucha and other areas will not go unanswered, the culprits will not go unpunished ".
(Unioneonline / lf)
