21 June 2023 at 14:55 The EU countries agree on a new sanctions package against Russia The EU countries agree on a new sanctions package against Russia for the war in Ukraine, the Swedish EU presidency says. The package is the eleventh so far. The agreement comes after lengthy negotiations. A draft was first presented in May. One of the aims of the package has been to crack down on actors who try to circumvent the sanctions. – Today the EU ambassadors agreed on the eleventh package of sanctions against Russia. The package includes measures designed to crack down on evasion of the sanctions, the presidency writes on Twitter. This makes the sanctions The package prohibits that goods and technology that can be used by the Russian military or help the country’s defense and security sector can be transported via Russia, writes Reuters. It also makes it possible to introduce restrictions on the sale of sensitive goods and technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, to countries that can sell them on to Russia. In addition, the list of such things is being expanded. At the same time, the suspension of the license that five state-controlled Russian media have in the EU is extended. Ships that load ship-to-ship are deprived of access to EU ports, if there is a reasonable suspicion that the cargo comes from Russia. This is done to overcome the practice where ships transship Russian oil and petroleum products at sea to circumvent import bans. In addition, funds belonging to a further 71 people and 33 companies who are suspected of having deported Ukrainian children to Russia, among other things, are frozen. Many packages Previously, the EU introduced ten packages of sanctions against Russia since President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to invade Ukraine last February. Banks, companies and markets are affected, also parts of the energy sector. More than 1,000 people and companies have had their assets frozen or travel restrictions imposed, writes the AP news agency. A lot of work has been done to close loopholes so that goods that are essential for Putin’s warfare do not reach. New procedure It is, however, the first time that plans have been put forward for measures aimed at trade via third countries, if one ignores sanctions against Iran, which is accused of supplying Russia with so-called kamikaze drones. In the past, the Union has agreed on the sanctions packages in just a few months – very fast for the EU. The new measures have met with more resistance as they will also go beyond the economic and political interests of individual member states. Hungary in particular has proved difficult to convince. The major Hungarian bank OTP has been listed on Ukraine’s list of war sponsors. (NTB)
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The EU countries agree on a new sanctions package against Russia – Latest news – news
