The European Union has approved the fifth package of economic and individual sanctions against Russia due to the ongoing military operation in Ukraine.
The Council decided today to implement the fifth package of economic and individual sanctions against Russia. expression EU Council.
The measures envisioned in the fifth package of sanctions are designed to limit Russia’s ability to conduct military operations, as well as increase pressure on the Russian government and economy.
“The purpose of our sanctions is to stop the reckless, inhuman and aggressive behavior of Russian troops and to make it clear to decision makers in the Kremlin that these illegal attacks are costly,” said Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. .
What is included in the fifth sanctions package:
▪️ embargo Russian coal deliveries and other solid fossil fuels in the EU from August 2022. EU coal imports are estimated at 8 billion Euros per year;
▪️ ban Calls of Russian ships to EU ports. The exception will be ships carrying humanitarian aid, agricultural and food products. The ban will not affect the energy sector either;
▪️ ban Jet fuel imports to Russiaquantum computers, semiconductors and other high-tech electronics;
▪️ bans Import of wood, cement, fertilizer, seafood and spirits from Russia;
Complete prohibition of transactions with ▪️ “four important Russian banks”freezing the assets of those whose names have not yet been released;
“After leaving SWIFT, the assets of these banks will be frozen, so they will be completely cut off from EU markets,” the European Council said in a statement.
Previously, the European Union disconnected seven Russian banks from the international interbank payment system SWIFT, including VTB, Rossiya, Otkritie, Novikombank, Promsvyazbank, Sovcombank and VEB.RF.
▪️ ban truck transport Russian and Belarusian companies on the territory of European countries. The measure does not apply to the transport of medicinal products and food. Movements of vehicles carrying humanitarian purposes are also permitted;
▪️ Ban on Russian companies participation in public procurement As well as the extension of the ban in EU Member States transactions with cryptocurrencies and on sale of banknotes and securities Legal entities from Russia and Belarus. These measures are expected to help “close the gaps” that allow sanctions to be circumvented;
▪️ personal sanctions against “oligarchs, Russian propagandists, members of the security forces and the military” and family members of persons currently under sanction;
▪️ sanctions industrial and technology companiesRegarding the military operation in Ukraine.
The Council of Europe demanded that Russia immediately cease its military operation, withdraw all its forces and military equipment from all Ukrainian territory, and “respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence within its internationally recognized borders.” The EU also called on Moscow to deliver humanitarian aid to Mariupol and other besieged cities.
European Commission representative Eric Mamer said that the assets of Russian citizens worth 30 billion euros were frozen.
Japan will reject Russian coal
Japan also announced new sanctions against Russia. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tokyo plans to gradually reduce and then ban Russian coal imports.
“We will reduce our dependence on Russia in the energy sector by providing urgent alternatives and gradually reducing imports,” he said.
Japan will also ban imports of machinery, timber and vodka from Russia and will expand sanctions on Russian banks. “We have decided to freeze the assets of the Russian banks Sberbank and Alfa-Bank,” said Kishida.
Tokyo will impose additional sanctions on about 400 Russians and 20 organizations “related to the military sphere” from the Russian Federation, including their deputies, and also ban new investments in the Russian economy.
The British Foreign Office has also expanded sanctions against Russia. Maria Vorontsova and Katerina Tikhonova appear on the black list of individuals. Next to the name Maria Vorontsova, the names Putin and Faasse and Katerina Tikhonova are next to the names Putin and Shamalov.
Also on the list was Ekaterina Vinokurova, daughter of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Their assets were frozen and they were banned from entering the country.
“The conflict will not end anytime soon”
French President Emmanuel Macron believes that the conflict in Ukraine will not end in the coming weeks.
“I think we will see a very difficult situation in Donbass in the coming days and weeks,” he said. I said macron.
According to him, “we should not expect diplomatic concessions from Russia in the coming weeks.” “This won’t happen until mid-May,” says the French president. That is why we are doing everything together with Turkey, Greece and the UN to organize humanitarian aid operations in the cities of Mariupol and Dnipro.”
Macron pointed out that each new day of hostility “makes tomorrow harder” and expressed his readiness to continue phone conversations with Vladimir Putin, whatever the consequences. Since the beginning of the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine, the presidents of Russia and France have already spoken on the phone nine times.
Macron also announced that after the ceasefire agreement was reached, France was ready to be a guarantor for peacebuilding in Ukraine.