BRUSSELS: The European Union said on Thursday that it approved a new package of sanctions aimed at ramping up pressure on Russia for its war in Ukraine.
The package was approved after days of deliberations during a meeting of the 27-nation bloc’s ambassadors in Brussels while European Union leaders held a summit nearby.
The Czech Republic said the package will be confirmed by written procedure on Friday. No last-minute issues were expected before details are then published in the bloc’s legal records.
The EU executive branch, last week proposed travel bans and asset freezes on more than 200 more Russian officials and military officers as part of the new round of measures. It was not clear whether the proposals had been changed during negotiations among member countries.
The targets of the latest recommended sanctions included government ministers, legislators, regional governors and political parties. The Commission also seeks to hit the Russian defence industry and more Russian banks, and to impose export controls and curbs on products like chemicals, electronics and IT components that could be used by the armed forces.
Furthermore, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EU Commission, suggested "to ban the direct shipments of drone engines to Russia and the export to any third nations, such as Iran, which could supply drones to Russia."
The European Commission also advised EU states to take measures against Russia's mining and energy industries, including by imposing a restriction on new mining investments, as well as to take steps to decommission more Russian TV stations in Europe.
Along with sanctions against a number of organisations, banks, and people, including Putin and his family, the EU earlier agreed to impose embargo on the imports of coal and seaborne oil in close coordination with Western allies.
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