ANP
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 16:15
Ambassadors of the EU countries have agreed on a new package of sanctions against Russia. Nearly 200 people and companies linked to the Russian regime are added to the sanctions list. It is the thirteenth European package of measures against Russia since 2022, the year in which Russia started the war in Ukraine.
The new package of measures, which the EU has been working on for months, can then come into effect on Saturday, February 24. That is exactly two years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The previous measures will also be extended for six months.
The 200 new names are not yet known. It is already clear that this time there are also non-Russian companies among them. According to an EU diplomat, this concerns three Chinese companies and a company from Turkey. With the new additions, the EU wants, among other things, to restrict Russian imports of parts for drones.
European Union Correspondent Kysia Hekster:
“Despite the fact that thirteen of these sanctions packages have already been announced, the effects on the Russian economy are disappointing. According to the latest figures from the International Monetary Fund, the Russian economy will grow by 2.6 percent this year. This is because Russia has a lot spends money on the war and has now transitioned to a war economy. The country has also succeeded in shifting part of its trade to, for example, China and other countries in Asia.
Economists disagree on how effective EU sanctions really are. On the one hand, it is pointed out that the economic situation does not look good in the longer term and that the sanctions do have an effect, while others say that the sanctions have little effect in the longer term.
This package was already in preparation before Russian opposition leader Navalny died. Last Monday, EU foreign policy chief Borrell said there would be new sanctions over Navalny’s death.”
The sanctions list already includes around 2,000 individuals, companies and other groups linked to the Russian regime. For them, this means that all their bank accounts in Europe will be blocked. Persons on the list will be banned from traveling to and within the EU.
European Commission President Von der Leyen says she is happy with the European agreement. “We must continue to push back Putin’s war machine,” she said in a post on X.
2024-02-21 15:15:10
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