easing of sanctions
The European Union plans to change its sanctions on Moscow on Wednesday. informs Reuters cites the draft of the seventh restriction package. The bloc countries have agreed to freeze some of the funds of the leading Russian banks, which may be necessary to eliminate the shortage of food and fertilizers on the world market.
As the authors of the article point out, the EU took this step “against the backdrop of African leaders’ criticism of the negative impact of sanctions on trade and food shortages”.
“EU countries will be able to dissolve previously blocked economic resources of major Russian creditors VTB, Sovcombank, Novikombank and Otkritie Bank, VEB, Promsvyazbank and Rossiya Bank,” the article says.
But European authorities will freeze Sberbank’s assets, except for those necessary for these purposes.
The draft document states that the money may be released “once it is determined that such funds or economic resources are necessary for the purchase, import or transport of agricultural and food products, including wheat and fertilizers.”
In addition, journalists report that the EU also plans to facilitate the export of food products from Russian ports, which traders stopped serving after the implementation of sanctions.
The authors of the article noted that the EU has so far denied the impact of sanctions on food trade.
black list
Russian motorcycle club “Night Wolves” may be banned in the EU, informs EUobserver version. The article says that once it’s on the sanctions list, the “pro-Kremlin biker gang” will no longer “roam around Europe”.
The publication met the document, which states that “Night Wolves” leader Alexander Zaldastanov, “three accomplices” and the club “have been added to the draft EU blacklist discussed by European ambassadors”. Union on Monday, July 18. The text also states that 59-year-old Zaldastanov was added to the sanctions list for “actively supporting Russian state propaganda, publicly denying Ukraine’s right to statehood, and calling for the country’s ‘minimization’ and ‘purification of Ukraine’.
“The new blacklist targets 47 individuals and eight legal entities, as well as a ban on Russian gold imports. Most people are Russian military leaders and politicians or Ukrainian collaborators in the occupied territories. Also on the list are Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, two Russian actors accused of making pro-war propaganda, Sergei Bezrukov and Vladimir Mashkov, and Russian businessman and Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov.
In addition, the sanctions list will be filled with the names of relatives of “Russian oligarchs who have been subject to sanctions before”.
Enforcement agencies and goods
Several transport and weapons companies, the Yunarmiya youth movement and the Russkiy Mir Foundation will also be subject to restrictions, according to the EUobserver. The new measures will “substantially limit” Sberbank’s activities in Europe.
“In economic measures, the EU is preparing to ban the direct or indirect import, purchase or transfer of gold, which is Russia’s most important export after energy resources,” the authors of the material said.
According to Bloomberg, some EU countries made Proposal to ban Russian gold imports to include jewellery.
The EUobserver also confirmed that the EU will amend its previous measures to “make clear that transport companies that bring food from Russia to starving markets will not be penalized”. The same precaution will apply to medical and pharmaceutical products.
The fact that the EU intends to ease sanctions against Russia, Reuters reported Citing anonymous sources on 15 July. Later, one of the agency’s interlocutors noted that the new part of the restrictions was considered a “six-and-a-half pack” due to the relaxation and the small number of new bans compared to the “previous rounds”.