The EU took a step towards imposing sanctions on Russia because of the series of recent hybrid and sabotage attacks in Europe, diplomats said.
The European Union and NATO have accused Moscow of being behind a series of incidents aimed at destabilizing the West as the two countries are at odds over the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.
Authorities in several EU countries – including Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – have reported uncovering plots or incidents, including arson, orchestrated by Moscow in recent months.
Ambassadors from the 27 EU member states who met in Brussels approved the creation of a new legal framework to enforce visa bans and freezing assets of those responsible for the attacks.
Once the text is officially signed next week, the EU will be able to add the names of specific Russian agents or organizations to the black list, diplomats said, BGNES reported.
European officials say they believe Russia’s actions are partly aimed at undermining support for Kiev as Moscow’s war is now in its third year.
Since the attack began, the EU has already imposed 14 rounds of unprecedented sanctions against Russia, aimed at hampering the Kremlin’s war machine.
In an effort to curb Moscow’s malicious actions, a number of EU countries, led by Prague, are pushing for measures to prevent Russian diplomats to move freely around the block.
So far, the move has not received universal support, and Hungary – the bloc’s most Moscow-friendly country – recently upset its EU partners by easing visa rules for Russians.
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