EU approves biggest-ever sanctions expansion on Russia
Photo: Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (flickr.com, photo by valstskanceleja)
The European Union has approved the largest expansion of its sanctions list against Russia since the start of the war—nearly 1,600 new entries, according to Kaja Kallas, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
"EU Foreign Ministers just adopted nearly 1,600 new sanctions listings targeting Russia’s military-industrial complex. This is the single largest expansion of our sanctions list since Russia started its war. Europe is again showing a united front" Kallas writes.
According to her, more than half of the new entries relate to the ballistic missile production chain.
"We are making it significantly harder, slower and more expensive for Russia to produce the weapons it uses to kill Ukrainians," Kallas adds.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha calls on partners to intensify sanctions pressure and cut off Russia's access to Western components, which are found in 90% of its weapons.
Kyiv has also prepared a list of ten more Russian oligarchs and will raise this issue at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg this week.
The US House of Representatives is drafting a bipartisan bill to ban the purchase of Russian oil.
Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick made this announcement a day after US President Donald Trump allowed Russia to sell diesel on global markets.
