EU intensifies measures with 16th sanctions package against Russia
The European Union is preparing its 16th package of sanctions against Russia, which is to be adopted on 24th February, marking the third anniversary of the full invasion of Ukraine, reported the German "Welt am Sonntag," citing sources in the EU administration. It was disclosed that the restrictions will target individuals involved in propaganda.
The European Union plans to introduce another sanctions package against Russia, the 16th one, which is to be adopted on 24th February. As reported by "Welt am Sonntag" on Sunday, the restrictions are set to target people and organisations involved in the hybrid war and propaganda of the Russian regime, undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
EU prepares another package of sanctions against Russia
The new sanctions aim to target sectors of the Russian economy that have not been sufficiently addressed thus far. The European Commission and the European External Action Service also plan to impose entry bans and asset freezes for individuals spying for Russia.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban opposed further sanctions, preferring to wait for Donald Trump to take office. It was only in mid-December that the EU adopted the 15th package of sanctions, which included, among other measures, a ban on port access for the Russian shadow fleet, which aims to effectively bypass the restrictions.
Ten EU countries have urged the European Commission to consider a joint proposal and urgently work on the sanctions package against Russia and develop similar restrictions for Belarus, which is allied with Moscow. This involves tightening existing regulations. They are primarily intended to target the Russian energy sector.
Countries mainly from Central Europe and Ireland emphasised that it is necessary to impose a ban on importing Russian gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) as soon as possible. If this proves impossible, the document's signatories also allowed as an alternative the gradual reduction of consumption of Russian gas and LNG per the plan outlined in the EU's RePower strategy. The document recommended that targeted sanctions extend to the Russian fleet transporting LNG, including restrictions on port access and the use of other maritime services.
