The Council of the European Union Friday announced the adoption of an eleventh package of economic and individual sanctions against Russia intended to strengthen existing EU sanctions and crack down on their circumvention.
In order to address the growing circumvention of EU sanctions, the EU decided to further strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation with third countries, said a Council statement.
In those cases where cooperation does not yield the intended results, the EU will take rapid, proportionate and targeted action, which is aimed at depriving Russia of the resources which allow it to pursue its war against Ukraine, in the form of appropriate individual measures addressing the involvement of third-country operators in facilitating circumvention.
Furthermore, in view of the sharp increase of deceptive practices by vessels transporting crude oil and petroleum products, the Council said it decided to prohibit access to EU ports and locks to any vessels that engage in ship-to-ship transfers if there is reasonable cause to suspect that the vessel is either in breach of the ban on importing seaborne Russian crude oil and petroleum products into the EU, or is transporting Russian crude oil or petroleum products purchased above the price cap agreed by the Price Cap Coalition.
The temporary derogation granted to Germany and Poland for the supply of crude oil from Russia through the northern section of the Druzhba oil pipeline will end.
However, the oil which originates in Kazakhstan or another third country will be able to continue to transit through Russia and imported into the EU via the Druzhba oil pipeline.
In order to further minimise the risk of sanctions?’ circumvention, today’s decision prohibits the transit via the territory of Russia of more goods and technology which may contribute to Russia?’s military and technological enhancement, it said.
The Council added additional 87 entities to the sanctions list of entities directly supporting Russia?’s military and industrial complex in its war against Ukraine.
The list includes four Iranian entities manufacturing drones and providing them to Russia, and certain Russian entities involved in the development, production and supply of electronic components for Russia?’s military and industrial complex.
In addition to the Russian and Iranian entities already listed, this now also covers entities registered in China, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, Syria and Armenia.
Moreover, the Council extended the suspension of broadcasting licences to five additional Russia media outlets: RT Balkan, Oriental Review, Tsargrad, New Eastern Outlook and Katehon accusing them of spreading Russian propaganda.
EU High Representative Josep Borrell said “our sanctions are already taking a heavy toll on the Russian economy and on the Kremlin?’s ability to finance its aggression. Today?’s package increases our pressure on Russia and Putin?’s war machine.” “By tackling sanctions circumvention, we will maximise pressure on Russia by depriving it further of the resources it so desperately needs to allow it to pursue its illegal war against Ukraine,” he added.
Source: Kuwait News Agency
