Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, April 8: As part of a fifth round of sanctions on Russia for the Ukraine conflict, European Union governments agreed on a Russian coal embargo. The judgement comes as evidence mounts that Russian military killed people outside of Kyiv.
The EU’s Committee of Permanent Representatives has accepted the sanctions package, according to the French EU Council president, which will be published tomorrow.
“This very substantial package extends the sanctions against Russia to new areas and provides in particular, sanctions against oligarchs, Russian propaganda actors, members of the security and military apparatus and entities in the industrial and technological sector linked to Russian aggression against Ukraine,” the French EU Council presidency said.
It includes asset freezes at several Russian banks, a restriction on shipments to Russia of up to €10 billion in high-tech goods, and the closing of EU ports to Russian-flagged ships.
The measures include the first EU penalties against Russian energy, including a €4 billion per year coal embargo. EU member states, many of whom rely significantly on Russian energy, have so far been unable to reach an agreement on Russian energy penalties.
EU Council President Charles Michel indicated during a discussion in the European Parliament that sanctions on Russian oil and gas are likely to be needed in the future.