The European Union is set to hit Moscow with new financial sanctions, trade sanctions and a ban on Russian citizens serving on the boards of key European infrastructure companies such as Power Grid, EU diplomats and officials. told Politico’s Brussels Playbook,
European Commission acting president, Ursula von der Leyen, briefed EU ambassadors in small groups over the weekend. announced Some elements of the 10th sanctions package at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last Thursday.
Brussels is set to introduce new financial sanctions against four Russian banks, including Alfa-Bank, the country’s biggest private bank founded by Russian-Israeli billionaire Mikhail Fridman.
The European Union is also considering banning Russian citizens from serving on the boards of critical infrastructure companies in the EU, such as electricity grids or gas providers.
There will also be new listings of some 130 entities and individuals. These include Russian military leaders, officials installed by Russia in occupied territories in Ukraine, and journalists working for Russian state media outlets such as Russia Today. Also included would be Russia’s war effort or Wagner mercenary group, and companies and individuals in other countries with links to Iran, which is accused of selling drones and components to Russia’s military.
The European Union is preparing to impose trade restrictions on imports of Russian rubber and asphalt and on exports of EU goods, including trucks, other heavy vehicles, construction machines, pumps and other equipment used in the construction sector, according to European officials. Is. The package also includes additional export restrictions on electronic equipment that Russia could use to make weapons.
It’s unclear, officials said, whether the diamonds will make it into the package. Belgium, whose port city of Antwerp is a global center of the diamond trade, is working With the European Commission and the G7 on an international tracing system for Russian diamonds. Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre de Crew is under domestic political pressure to include a ban on Russian diamonds in a 10th sanctions package.
To combat sanctions rigging, Brussels is also planning to list a Dubai-based shipping company suspected of helping to circumvent sanctions on oil exports to Russia. The company is believed to have bought several Russian oil tankers, which were no longer allowed to ship oil due to EU and international sanctions on Russian-owned entities. Under their new Emirati ownership, the tankers can again transport oil.
An EU country has now asked the EU to list that company in a new sanctions package to block it from increasing Russia’s ability to export oil, the sources said, or informants involved in sanctions discussions. Two people told POLITICO.
But two diplomats and an official cautioned that there had been some opposition from Mediterranean countries during discussions with the European Commission. In the past the tankers operated under the Cypriot flag, but are now believed to have changed their flag to a tax haven – hence no logical reason for any EU country to oppose the move against those vessels. Shouldn’t be, argued one of them.
EU ambassadors are set to discuss the package at their meeting on Wednesday.