(Brussels) European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed adding nearly 200 individuals and entities to the EU sanctions list against Moscow, including Russia’s armed forces and three of the country’s banks. .
“The eight sanctions packages adopted so far are already hurting [à la Russie]. But today we are increasing the pressure” in response to the war in Ukraine, said Mr.me von der Leyen.
This ninth package of measures still needs to be unanimously approved by the 27 EU member countries.
The new sanctions will be added in particular to the total embargo on imports of Russian oil transported by sea, which entered into force this week, and to the global cap on the price of Russian oil decided with the G7 and Australia.
Mme von der Leyen proposed adding to the list of EU-sanctioned individuals and entities “Russian armed forces, as well as officers, Russian defense industry companies”.
To these would be added “members of the Duma and of the Council of the Federation, ministers, governors and political parties”. It is, according to M.me von der Leyen, of people playing a key role in “Russian missile strikes” against civilians, “the abduction of Ukrainian children taken to Russia” or “thefts of Ukrainian agricultural products”.
Registration on this blacklist leads to a freezing of assets and a ban on entry into EU territory. Started in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea, this list already includes 1241 individuals and 118 entities.
Brussels also proposed to sanction “three new Russian banks”, in particular by a total ban on transactions targeting the Russian Regional Development Bank, “to further paralyze the financial machine” of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The president of the European executive also recommends imposing “new controls and new export restrictions” for dual-use goods, civil and military, which could be used by the Russian army. These would be several chemical substances, nerve agents, electronic and computer components.
In addition, the Commission intends to ban Russia’s access to all types of aerial drones. “We propose to ban the direct export of drones to Russia as well as the export to any third country, such as Iran, which may supply drones to Russia,” explained Mr.me von der Leyen.
She also proposed the suspension of four new Russian media, which she said participates in Kremlin propaganda, as well as “additional economic measures against the Russian energy and mining sector, including a ban on new mining investments in Russia”.