At the meeting of the European Council of the heads of state and government of the European Union (EU) in Brussels, an agreement was reached on an additional financial assistance program for Ukraine in the amount of 18 billion euros in 2023, l Prime Minister’s press secretary Krišjānis Kariņas (JV) Sandris Sabajevs informed the LETA agency.
Despite discussions on some difficult issues, the EU has so far been able to take the necessary decisions, thus firmly continuing to support Ukraine, Kariņš said.
The European Council also expressed its support for holding Russia accountable for its war crimes. Latvia, like other countries with a similar position, supports the establishment of a special court whose main area of responsibility would be the crime of aggression, noted the Prime Minister’s representative.
EU leaders, discussing the necessary improvements in Europe’s common energy policy, agreed that there is a need to continue strengthening the EU’s energy security and independence.
LETA has already reported that the EU has adopted the ninth package of sanctions against Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Twitter on Friday.
The sanctions target Russian defense companies, banks, media and government officials.
The “blacklist” includes nearly 200 individuals and institutions linked to attacks on civilians and the abduction of children in Ukraine, Leyena said.
Persons included in the “blacklist” are barred from entering the EU and their assets are frozen.
Export restrictions have also been expanded to make it more difficult for the Russian military to access chemicals, computer components and electronics for weapons production, as well as a complete export ban on drone engines.
The broadcasting of four Russian TV channels – ‘NTV/NTV Mir’, ‘Rossiya 1’, ‘Pervij kanal’ and REN TV – is banned in the EU.
The assets of two other Russian banks will be frozen in the EU. A total ban on transactions has been applied to the Russian Regional Development Bank.
The ban on investment in projects in Russia has also been extended to the extractive sector, with some exceptions introduced for raw materials deemed essential for the EU economy.
Sanctions enter into force after their publication in the Official Journal of the EU.
EU leaders were also reported to have granted Bosnia and Herzegovina candidate country status on Thursday, starting the Balkan country’s long road to EU membership.
Russia’s war against Ukraine has strengthened the EU’s readiness to accept new members.
Bosnia became the third country, after Ukraine and Moldova, to be granted EU candidate status in the past six months.
