EU sanctions are designed to make it more difficult for Russia to finance the war, as well as starve it of technological equipment and spare parts.
The European Union has approved a 10th round of sanctions against Russia, EU officials said, on the one-year anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The latest round of sanctions provides additional trade restrictions on Russia, the Swedish EU Council Presidency announced in Brussels on Friday evening, and is designed to make financing the war more difficult. Ukraine.
The package includes tighter export controls on dual-use items and measures against companies that support Russia’s war, propagandize in support of the invasion and supply drones used by Russia to attack Ukraine.
“Together, EU member states have imposed the strongest and most far-reaching economic sanctions to win the war in Ukraine,” the EU leadership announced on Twitter.
“The EU stands united with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. We will support Ukraine, however long it takes.
Together, EU member states have imposed very strong and far-reaching economic sanctions to help Ukraine win the war.
The European Union is united with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Let’s support Ukraine, as long as it takes.
(3/3)
– Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union (@sweden2023eu) February 24, 2023
The moves are aimed at blacklisting more people the West says are Russian propagandists, including those responsible for deporting Ukrainian children to Russia and those involved in the production of Iranian drones deployed on the front lines of the war.
The package is designed to cut several Russian banks, including private Alfa-Bank and online bank Tinkoff, from the global system SWIFT and cut trade between the EU and Russia by 10 billion euros ($10.5bn). Administrator of the block.
With just two hours to go before midnight on Friday, negotiators from EU member states came to a conclusion after throwing a spanner in the works before agreeing to sanctions.
Warsaw said the proposed restrictions on EU imports of Russian rubber would cover a large quota of imports and include long transition periods that would have no practical effect.
Other EU countries risk not announcing any new sanctions on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s attack on Ukraine against Warsaw — a leading Russia hawk in this camp — as one element of a broader package.
All member states must agree to implement sanctions, and negotiations between the 27 countries are often difficult and lengthy.
“It’s very bad optics. On this special day the message of solidarity with Ukraine should be the key here,” said a diplomat involved in secret talks between the 27 EU countries.
On Friday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal posed in front of four Polish-supplied Panther tanks and released a series of photos marking the surrender of his war-torn nation, a year after the invasion.
Schmihal posed with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki for pictures published on Telegram.
“A year ago, tanks went into Ukraine to take away the freedom of Ukrainians,” Schmihal said. “Today, tanks have also entered Ukraine, but to defend freedom.”
Poland delivers 14 Leopard A2 tanks to Ukraine Morawiecki also said that 60 PT-91 main battle tanks will be delivered after being promised in January.
The PT-91 Twardy is a Polish combat vehicle based on the Soviet T-72 tank, but further improved and modernized.
Earlier, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said Ukrainian soldiers would be trained by Polish, Canadian and Norwegian instructors at the Leopard training center in western Poland.
