The EU has announced a special meeting of the European Council.
(Photo: AP)
Brussels According to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President Charles Michel, the EU will immediately decide on a new package of sanctions against Russia. “With this package, we will target strategic sectors of the Russian economy by blocking their access to technologies and markets that are key to Russia,” von der Leyen said in the morning.
“We will weaken Russia’s economic base and ability to modernize. In addition, we will freeze Russian deposits in the European Union and block Russian banks from accessing European financial markets.”
Comprehensive export bans for high-tech goods were previously discussed. A secret list is said to range from microchips to components for artificial intelligence systems to components for quantum computers.
The EU heads of state and government want to meet in the evening to discuss the package. In the morning, the ambassadors of the states came together to prepare the meeting.
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EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stressed: “The EU will adopt the toughest package of sanctions it has ever adopted.” Von der Leyen and Borrell stressed that the EU would also continue to support Ukraine. “We stand with Ukraine,” Borrell said.
The EU coordinated the first stage of the sanctions with the USA, Great Britain and Canada and also discussed further sanctions with these partners. “As with the first sanctions package, we have coordinated closely with our partners and allies, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada,” von der Leyen said. Other countries such as Japan and Australia have also been included.
More on the Ukraine crisis:
The EU had already decided on an initial package of sanctions after recognizing the independence of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine and sending Russian soldiers.
Among other things, it is aimed at the 351 members of the Russian parliament who initiated the recognition of the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. In addition, there are 27 individuals and organizations who contribute to undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
It also restricts the Russian state’s access to EU financial markets and restricts EU trade with the two regions.
The Vice-President of the EU Commission, Vera Jurova, called for the Russian President to be included on the list of sanctioned persons.
With agency material
More on this: The developments in Ukraine in the Newsblog.