Acting Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho said in Brussels on Monday that the European Union’s (EU) 12th package of sanctions against Russia should be approved in the coming days.
“We are almost there and the expectation is that a consensus can be reached for the European Council. Therefore, I hope, the matter will not have to be submitted to the Heads of State or Government. [da UE]”said Gomes Cravinho in statements to journalists in Brussels, who took part in a meeting with his EU colleagues today.
The twelfth package of sanctions against Russia, which includes a reinforcement of sanctions against Russian oil exports already in force and also covers diamonds, was announced by the European Commission on November 15.
According to a statement, Brussels has “proposed the adoption of new import and export bans, as well as measures aimed at strengthening the oil price ceiling and combating the evasion of EU sanctions, as well as measures to limit diamond exports to Russia.”
The son of former President Dmitry Medvedev and a relative of the current head of state, Vladimir Putin, will be among the names added to the list of people subject to restrictive measures following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Last week, the G7 countries (a group in which the EU is also represented) decided to ban the import of non-industrial diamonds of Russian origin from January, including diamonds mined, processed or produced in Russia.
The leaders of the United States, Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom announced on the same occasion that there will also be a ban on diamonds processed in third countries from January 1, 2024.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the worst security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
Ukraine’s Western allies have supplied weapons to Kiev and approved successive sanctions packages against Russian interests to try to reduce Moscow’s ability to finance the war effort.
The European Council meeting, at which Portugal is represented by acting Prime Minister António Costa, will take place in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.
Source: DN
