The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, admits that the specter of the measures of the tenth package of sanctions, after the aggression against Ukraine, will reach “personalities and companies” outside the Russian borders, which are contributing to circumvent the European measures.
Speaking in Tallinn, the Estonian capital, on the sidelines of Independence Day ceremonies, the EU chief executive said Brussels is sending a “very clear message” to those who are “importing or exporting European products to third countries”. which then forward them to Russian territory. They will also be “listed” for European sanctions.
“We include in our sanctions packages the possibility to list persons or entities – even from third countries – who are helping to circumvent sanctions, exporting or importing goods from the European Union to third countries and then taking them to Russia,” The president of the European Commission has underlined, clarifying that the measure is intended to curb the Kremlin’s strategies to circumvent the sanctions already adopted.
“In our sanctions packages, we are increasing measures to make sure there are no loopholes or evasion of sanctions,” Von der Leyen said, referring to the work of “EU Envoy for Sanctions David O’Sullivan, who is traveling to different third countries to reinforce the message that any type of evasion of sanctions will have consequences”.
“Increasingly, we are sending a very clear message that this will not be tolerated and that there will be consequences,” von der Leyen stressed.
Already this week, the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, took for granted the approval of the tenth package of sanctions, no later than this Friday, depending solely on “technical details”, which, however, were not passed in the first two . negotiation rounds.
The minister added that the sanctions package “will include a hundred new persons or entities, it will also include a ban on exports, probably worth around 11 billion euros, exports of parts and equipment that indirectly contribute to the Russian military effort. “.
Gomes Cravinho also pointed out that “seven Iranian entities related to the manufacture of drones, which are then sent to Russia, will be sanctioned.”
However, the 10th sanctions package should not include measures targeting nuclear power. According to the Portuguese minister, at this moment “the focus is not on nuclear”, although it could happen “in the future”.
“Naturally, nuclear energy will have to be considered in the future,” Cravinho defended, admitting that the tenth package of sanctions will not stop affecting controversial issues, such as the diamond trade.
“There are many aspects still to be defined, but obviously there is no reason for us to exclude diamonds,” said João Gomes Cravinho, even assuring that “diamonds will be considered.”
Source: TSF
