The European Commission on Wednesday proposed a new package of sanctions against Russia, following the “escalation of tension” on the Moscow side. The sanctions were presented generically this Wednesday by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
“The fake referenda in the territories occupied by Russia are an illegal attempt to take land and forcibly change international borders,” the European Commission president criticized, also mentioning “Putin’s mobilization and threat to use nuclear weapons” as “new steps in the escalation of tension”.
“We will not accept the false referendum, nor any form of annexation in Ukraine, and we are determined to make the Kremlin pay for another escalation,” stressed Ursula von der Leyen, who announced the terms and conditions of the eighth sanctions package.
“We propose to continue with new embargoes on product imports,” announced the head of the community administrator, convinced that the measure “will keep Russian products out of the European market and deprive Russia of 7 billion euros in profits”.
The list of European exports to Russia will also be expanded, with the aim of “reducing the Kremlin’s military complex to key technologies. This includes, for example, parts for aviation, or electronic components and some specific chemicals,” von der Leyen said.
“We propose additional embargoes on the provision of European services to Russia and a ban on European citizens from working in the leadership of Russian state-owned enterprises,” stressed the European Commission President, for whom “Russia should not benefit from European knowledge and expertise”.
Brussels will also start the legislative process to follow up on the G7 decision to impose a price cap on Russian oil, the commission expects that “this oil price cap … will reduce Russia’s profits, while the global energy market remains stable.”
The list of sanctions will also include a series of new personalities linked to the procedures for the mobilization of the army to fight in Ukraine, as well as all those who intervened in one way or another for the holding of referenda in the Ukrainian regions of Ukraine. Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk and Zaporijia, occupied by Russia.
The “additional restrictive measures” target “persons who support, facilitate or benefit from the invasion of Ukraine,” the European Union’s head of diplomacy Josep Borrell announced.
The sanctions are intended to “hit the authorities representing Russia in Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporijia,” Borrell said during the brief conference he shared with the community president.
“To the Russians who organized and facilitated these fake referendums in the four occupied Ukrainian territories”, assets should be frozen and access to European soil prohibited, said Borrell
Source: DN
