Every day new penalties. After the upcoming disconnection of several Russian banks from the Swift messaging system, the European Union is preparing to introduce new measures against Russia. Through the voice of its president, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission will buy weapons for the first time in its history to deliver them to Ukraine. Franceinfo summarizes what to remember from this new series of measures.
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The European Union will buy weapons for Ukraine
In detail, Brussels will propose to the Twenty-Seven to use an emergency funding line from the EU “to supply Ukrainian forces with lethal weapons, as well as fuel, protective equipment and medical supplies”ending the “taboo that the Union does not supply arms to belligerents”, said the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell. For this, the EU will release 450 million euros.
The European Union will close its airspace to Russia
These are the Russian planes deprived of European skies. Ursula von der Leyen also clarified that European airspace was now prohibited for Russian planes, including private jets of Russian oligarchs. Over the weekend, European states began to restrict access to their skies one after the other. Sunday noon,France, for example, followed in the footsteps of Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, Poland and Estonia by closing in turn “its airspace to Russian planes and airlines from this evening”. “Faced with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the unity of Europe is total”, said on Twitter the Minister of Transport, JJean-Baptiste Djebbari.
European Union bans Russian media RT and Sputnik
Black screen coming. During her speech, the President of the European Commission also announced that the Russian media RT (formerly Russia Today) and Sputnik would be banned from the European Union. This is to prevent them from spreading their “lies to justify Putin’s war and to sow division in our Union (…). We are therefore developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe”. “We are going to kill this snake in its nest”reacted for his part Josep Borrell, the head of diplomacy of the EU.
The European Union still sanctions Belarus
Finally, the EU has decided to impose new sanctions against Belarus by banning exports of “largest economic sectors” of the Minsk regime, “partner in crime” of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, announced the President of the European Commission. In detail, the sectors of hydrocarbons, tobacco, cement, iron and steel are concerned. Belarusian officials who “helped Russia” in its offensive in Ukraine are also subject to sanctions. Belarus is already under EU sanctions for cracking down on its opposition and hijacking a European plane to arrest a dissident.