10th package
Ursula von der Leyen’s Chief of Staff, Bjorn Seibert, briefed the EU ambassadors over the weekend on the content of the 10th round of sanctions against Russia. writer Politico citing the source. According to the editors, the document will be discussed by national experts and ambassadors this week.
The article says the European Union plans to impose new financial sanctions on four Russian banks, “including Russia’s largest private bank, Alfa Bank, founded by Russian-Israeli billionaire Mikhail Fridman.”
In addition, the draft new sanctions package proposes to ban “Russian citizens from serving on the boards of directors of critical infrastructure companies such as electricity grids or gas suppliers in the EU”.
The restrictions should affect around 130 new organizations and individuals. It was noted that Poland, the Baltic states, Germany and France nominated candidates to fill the “black list”. The sanctions are proposed to be extended to Russian military leaders as well as officials “appointed by Russia in the occupied territories in Ukraine”. The new list also includes “journalists working for the Russian state media and propagandists like Russia Today.”
According to the document, the restrictions will also include companies and individuals in other countries that have “connections with Russia’s military actions” or are affiliated with the PMC “Wagner”. It is stated that the list includes Mali and Iranian organizations (“accused of selling drones and components to the Russian military”).
“[Предлагается ввести] Additional trade bans on EU imports of Russian rubber and asphalt or bitumen (petroleum products) and exports of EU goods to Russia, including trucks, other heavy vehicles, construction equipment, pumps and other machinery used in the construction industry. The package also includes additional export bans on electronic components that Russia could use to manufacture weapons.
It is not yet clear whether the sanctions will affect diamonds, according to the publication.
Sanctions against Dubai company
The authors of the key memo were under “at gunpoint of Brussels”, the Dubai shipping company, which Europeans suspect was “providing assistance to Russia to circumvent sanctions on oil exports.”
“The company is believed to have purchased several Russian oil tankers that are no longer allowed to carry oil due to EU and international sanctions against Russian-owned companies. Under new Emirati ownership, tankers can once again transport oil. An EU country has asked the European Union to include this company in a new sanctions package to prevent Russia from increasing its ability to export oil,” the article says, quoting two people “participating in the sanctions debate.”
The authors of the material noted that carrier countries may oppose this step. According to two diplomats and an official, “some opposition came from Mediterranean countries” during the meeting.
Ambassadors are now “informing their capitals of the Commission’s plans” of the European Union and will discuss the 10th package of sanctions on Wednesday, according to the publication.
On January 17, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on CNN that the European Union plans to implement its tenth package of sanctions against Russia. He explained that the new package of measures will mainly focus on closing the gaps in the measures already taken.
Von der Leyen stressed that restrictions should eliminate circumvention of EU sanctions and provide corresponding results.